ALMATY – Almaty will host the World Chess Championship for Children in the U8, U10, and U12 categories from Sept. 19 to 30, bringing together more than 800 young players from 84 countries.
Photo credit: KazChess
The opening ceremony will take place on Sept. 19. The tournament includes 11 rounds, with a rest day on Sept. 25 featuring a sightseeing program and a blitz event for children from orphanages. The closing ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 30.
Among the largest delegations are India with 28 participants, China with 25, and the United States with 24. As the host country, Kazakhstan will present a record team of over 200 players.
The tournament will be staged at the Baluan Sholaq Arena. This venue has previously welcomed top chess events, including the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in 2022 and the Asian Youth Championship in 2024, reported the Kazakhstan Chess Federation press service on Sept. 9.
Kazakhstan’s team includes several promising favorites. Adinur Adilbek and Alisha Bisalieva lead the U8 category. In U10, Amirzhan Anetov and Rizat Ulan are medal contenders, while Zhansaya Sholpanbek tops the G12 rankings. Symbat Zhetpis and Milana Filippova are among the strongest in G10. Danis Kuandykuly, world champion in U10 in 2023, and Nuraly Bolashakov are the country’s main hopes in U12.
Kazakhstan enjoyed great success at the 2024 World Championship in Montesilvano, Italy, finishing first in the medal standings with two golds and one silver. Champions included Alanna Berikkyzy in G10 and Mark Smirnov U12, while Khanzada Amanzhol earned silver in G12.
The Kazakhstan Chess Federation organizes the championship in cooperation with local authorities, who have pledged to provide full support for young athletes, parents, coaches, and officials.
