Chess prodigies enter the fight for the championship
29.01.2024 | 15:31 |Today, at the Ashgabat Chess and Checkers School, more than 300 children aged 5 to 12 years began to compete for the palm in the national championships among cadets in the categories under 8, 10 and 12 years old.
The favorites are the champions of last year, as well as the winners of the recent national championship among schoolchildren, which was held in odd age categories (up to 7, 9 and 11 years).
As the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan commented, the most uncompromising fight is expected in the group of boys under 12 years old, where champion under 10 years of the last year and under 11 years of this year Alikhan Batyrov (FIDE rating - 1667, Mary), champion under 12 years of the last year Rauf Yusupov (1418, Mary), champion of the recent championship under 13 years Ali Akhmedov ( 1629, Ashgabat) and a number of other promising chess players are ready to prove their ambitions.
Among the strongest girls under 12 years old, there are already several experienced, despite their young age, chess players, including participants in international competitions, including the champion under 10 years of the last year and under 11 years of this year, Nebakhat Muradova (FIDE rating - 1218, Turkmenabat), last year's champion under 10 years old Pervana Serdarov (1262, Ashgabat), the national champion among school teams Lachin Achildyeva (1351, Turkmenabat) and the rating favorite of this category Arzygul Atayeva (1449, Mary).
Last year's champions Maksat Avlyakuliev (under 8 years old, Turkmenabat) and Omarbek Ismailov (under 9 years old, Dashoguz) are seeking to repeat their success this year, but in the under 10 years old category. They will compete with Umar Japarov (Turkmenabat), Mahmud Meredov and Omar Hamrakulyev (both from Ashgabat).
For girls under 10 years old, the fight will unfold between the champion under 8 years old of the last year and the winner of 4th place at the World Championships in Batumi in June 2023, Dunya Ruslanova, and this year’s national champion under 11 years old, Aya Bayramova (both from Turkmenabat).
In the group of boys under 8 years old, successful performances are expected from silver medalist of the 2023 Western Asian Championship Begli Annagylyjov, as well as the winner of the recent championship under 7 years old Charyhekim Charyev.
In the category of girls under 8 years old, only last year's national champion under 7 years old, Enedzhan Charygeldyeva (Lebap) and the champion in the same category of this year, Anna Charyeva (Mary), can boast of previous successful results.
But given the rapid dynamics of development of chess skills among a large number of young athletes, the results of the current championship will certainly lead to unexpected sensations, and new “stars” will appear on the chess horizon.
This year, the championship among cadets is held in all three types of chess at once, namely standard (or classical) chess with full time control, fast chess (rapid) and lightning chess (blitz).
“Classics” and blitz will end at the end of the week, on February 3, and the rapid medals will be awarded today.
The winners of the classical chess championship will have the opportunity to represent the country at world and continental championships, which this year will be held in Albania, Georgia and Kazakhstan.
ORIENT news