Al Ain adds a third World Championship milestone to its international chess legacy.
The fourth edition of the FIDE World Junior Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships kicked off in Al Ain. Following an intense opening day, five players share the lead in the Open section, and three are tied at the top of the Girls’ standings, all with perfect scores after three rapid rounds.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the championships are organised by the Al Ain Chess & Mind Games Club in cooperation with FIDE and the UAE Chess Federation. The event, bringing together 150 players from 40 countries, runs from November 1 to 7 at the Danat Al Ain Resort.
The opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Sultan bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan, President of the Asian Chess Federation, Chairman of the Al Ain Chess & Mind Games Club, and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee; African Chess Confederation President Bernard Wanjala; and Confederation of Chess for the Americas President José Antonio Carrillo Pujol.
Also in attendance were Javier Ochoa de Echagüen, FIDE Honorary Vice-President and President of the Spanish Chess Federation; Hulkar Tohirjonova, President of FIDE’s Central Asian Zone; Özgür Solakoğlu, FIDE Technical Delegate; and representatives of national federations and participating delegations.
Following the UAE National Anthem, Sheikh Sultan welcomed the players and delegations, highlighting the championships’ role in bringing young talent together through competition, friendship, and the shared values of concentration, discipline, and sound decision-making.
He expressed his gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for his continued support of sport and youth development, and to His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Al Ain Region. He also thanked His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his patronage, alongside the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, FIDE, the UAE Chess Federation, and the event’s organising partners.
Sheikh Sultan noted that the championships coincide with Al Ain’s designation as the Arab Capital of Tourism for 2026, offering visiting delegations an opportunity to discover the city’s heritage, landmarks, and hospitality.
Javier Ochoa delivered the address on behalf of FIDE before Sheikh Sultan officially declared the championships open and joined the distinguished guests in making the ceremonial opening moves on the top Open and Girls’ boards.
Perfect starts set the stage for a battle for the lead
Five players won all three opening games in the Open section to lead on three points: Artem Uskov (FIDE), India’s Pranav V and Praneeth Vuppala, Kazakhstan’s Satbek Akhmedinov, and Artiom Stribuk.
In the Girls’ competition, Kazakhstan’s Zarina Nurgaliyeva, Valeria Kleymenova (FIDE), and Uzbekistan’s Umida Omonova (pictured below) finished the day tied for first place with three points each.
Just half a point behind are Eline Roebers of the Netherlands, Aliaksandra Tarasenka of Belarus, and Marina Kuznetsova and Margarita Bendik (both FIDE), setting up closely contested encounters in the coming rounds.
Among the UAE players, Hamad Essa Al-Blooshi and Husain Ali Alhammadi each collected two points in the Open section, while Rouda Essa Alserkal scored 1½ points in the Girls’ section.
The nine-round rapid competition will conclude on November 4, followed by the blitz events on November 5 and 6.