World Youth Championships set records!
Billed as FIDE’s largest event ever, 1387 players traveled from 80 countries to Halkidiki, Greece to partake in the annual festival featuring five age groups. There are separate groups in under-18, under-16, under-14, under-12, under-10 and under-8 for both boys and girls.
While this tournament is organized in categories, the ratings earned from this tournament and other FIDE-rated activities are included in the general list with adult players. Thus, there are five Grandmasters playing in the under-18 section and one each in the under-16 and under-14. Russia has the largest delegation with an amazing 110 participants! Host Greece has 54 as does youth powerhouse, India.
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Results by Chess-Results.com Girls |
Video by Chessdom.
Kenya must have the biggest African contingent at this event.
I doubt if there are many African teams represented. How many Kenyan players are playing. I saw a nice picture of one player.
Daaim,
There’s a big problem with Internet connection at the resort we’re at. There are some South African here, in fact Josh’s R5 was against one..he won. His lost was against a Russian kid who won this tournament in 08..the game was a classic draw, but Josh pushed for a won and loss the bishop V Knight ending. Justus seems to have rebounded after his loss..but no game is easy here. The main difference here is preparation. Joshua is determined to slowly climb back up, but he knows it will be brutal from now until Round. I have pictures, but I am limited to 1.3G so I will send them when I get back to the state
Guy,
Yes… there are South Africans and Kenyans there.
Not sure why I can’t find any pictures of either Josh or Justus on the main site. I’ve been looking every day. Am I missing something?
How are things in Greece?
I will try to send you a picture or two of them. Can’t promise the pictures will go through since my e-mail hasn’t been working since I got here. Where we’re at there’s not much to see, except the ocean, small houses on the hill and open markets. Can’t really communicate because there’s so many different languages being spoken..every now and then you meet someone who speaks english. The people here seems really focused on chess. Round 6 just started and Justus is paired with the Russian kid Josh lost to. BTW (They’ve posted Josh’s game against the Russian kid on chess-results.com(round 4)).
That’s unfortunate, but I suppose they want to keep the players focused on chess. I will begin tracking their progress and hope to find more of their games.
20 kenyan players
Here is Josh game vs. Konstantin Savenkov.
He made a big mistake by playing 26.g4? That fixes the pawn on the same color as the bishop and limits its scope. The black king was able to attack the weakened kingside. The game was equal up until that point.
Looks like Justus beat Savenkov today!
After 7 rounds, both Justus and Josh are tied for 3rd with 5.5/7. In clear 1st is Kayden Troff of the USA with 6.5/7. Still four rounds to go!
https://chess-results.com/tnr39338.aspx?art=1&rd=7&lan=1&fed=USA&flag=30&m=-1&wi=1000
Yes. Still no photos on the main site of either Justus or Josh. They are pretty easy to spot too.
In rd 7, Josh loses with W in an interesting game..probably missed at least a perpetual. Justus draws with W (was much worse in the final position), and Troff wins with B to extend his lead to 1.5 points over the rest of the field with 3 rounds to go.
Go USA!
I saw both of those games. It seemed that Josh lost the thread on the position. I looked liked Justus was fortunate. I saw Troff position before I left to teach my class and knew he’d win that one. FM Steven Zierk has 6.5/8 in under-18 after another win. I believe he’ll get a nine-round IM norm after one more round. I’m not sure about a GM norm.
Shearwood, how are you ? I played you many moons ago in Stamford, Ct. I had white and we played a Centre Game. You won.
Glad to see you a doctor now. Seems to be in the family blood, hahaha. Hows your dad ? You and him still playing ? I just got back into playing tournaments this yr even though I have only played in a couple. Talk with you later and wish you and family well.
Quentin Mason
Troff finally lost, but did his cell phone go off? He resigned after 14 moves and he was not clearly losing.
The broadcast of the live games was not functioning properly. Kayden actually played some more moves before he resigned. Joshua played the best he could but fell into an opening preparation in the c3 line of the sicilian and wasn’t able to make progress. Justus had forced mate in few moves, but took a bit too long in assessing the move sequences and regrettably his opponent called him on time.
I was watching Justus’ game and was impressed with the way he handled the black pieces. I was unable to watch the ending, but that was a brutal way to lose. Here is the game
Zierk won again and has a nine-round IM norm with 7½/9. He needs to play another GM to qualify for a norm. Not sure how that will work since GMs Aleksandr Shimanov (Russia) and Vasif Durarbeyli (Azerbaijan) are on 6-3. I hope the U.S. captains can lobby with the arbiters to get that pairing. If he wins his next game, he certainly won’t get to play one of them. If he loses, it’s a possibility.
“I hope the U.S. captains can lobby with the arbiters to get that pairing.”
If a pairing is manipulated to achieve a “norm” result, then the norm is not valid.
You’re right and I stated that wrongly. “Lobby” is too strong a word. What generally will happen is a player will simply ask what is needed to qualify. Nothing more than that. Everything has to fit… colors, points. It was more prevalent in the days when pairing cards were used.
Zierk (8½-1½) will get his third GM in Vasif Durarbeyli (7-3) from Azerbaijan! Haven’t calculated how many points for a GM norm, but at least he has played three GMs. In these tournaments many strange pairings occur since all the top players have played each other already.
WYCC is over! Josh lost to his third Chinese opponent, one of them, Wei Yi, who captured the gold. Justus drew his last game and Kapil Chandran won his last game. I think it was an amazing experience for them. Both ended with 7.5. Zierk got the Gold!
What the difference between our top kids and theirs? Not much! Just preparation.
OH thanks Mr. Colas i just saw “ZORRO’S” game on the U.S.C.F. site strong chess!!! out of this world almost looks like he came from Uranus!
Hi Quentin…I remember that game, it was from November 1991 — a long time ago :). I hope that you are doing well.
Zierk gets a GM norm and the IM title! It should be clear that Zierk would have earned a GM norm through his performance anyway. In certain tournaments, you can get an IM title and GM norm (placing clear 1st), but without meeting the normal norm requirements. Zierk’s 9.5/11 is very impressive!