Russians dominate Asian Juniors chessfest

Final standings:

Boys

7.5 points - A. Grebnev (Russia)

7 -- M. Amilal (Mongolia)

6.5 -- S. Aswath (India)

6 -- K. Rohith (India), A. Uskov (Russia), I.Alhibay (Kazakhstan), K.D. Dau (Vietnam), G. Arca (Philippines).

5.5 -- M.Concio (Philippines), K, Kodithuwakku (Sri Lanka).

Girls

8 points -- A. Shukhman (Russia)

7 -- H, Sneha (India), G, Tejaswini (India),

5.5 -- D. Khairmode (India), K. Popandopolu (Kazakhstan)

5 -- A. Mohd (Malaysia), M. Bristy (India)

4.5 -- V. Rhindiya (India), H. T. Luong (Vietnam), D. Gunawardhana (Sri Lanka), Z. Sultanbek (Kazakhstan), J . Mendoza (Philippines), G. Shubi (India), T, Singgih (Indonesia), A. Sapuan (Philippines)

TAGAYTAY -- Russia capped its dominance in the 2024 Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships, with defending champion and top seed GM Aleksey Grebnev winning the boys division, and WIM Anna Shukhman ruling the girls category at the Knights Templar Hotel here Saturday.

Grebnev, considered as one of the world’s strongest junior players now with an ELO of 2530, settled for a draw with No. 3 IM S. Aswath of India to finish with 7.5 points on six wins and three draws in this prestigious, nine-round competition organized by the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) in cooperation with the Tagaytay City government.

No. 7 seed IM Munkhdalai Amilal of Mongolia and Aswath finished second and third with seven points and 6.5 points respectively.

Amilal, the lone player from Mongolia in the field, outduelled World Cup veteran IM Michael Concio,Jr. of he Philippines in 58 moves of the Nimzo-Indian.

The 19-year-old Concio, the country’s highest-rated junior player with an ELO of 2368, managed only half point in the final two rounds.

With Concio losing his final-round assignment, FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca emerged as the highest-placed Filipino player in fourth to eighth places with six points.

Arca defeated FM Arjun Adireddy of India to clinch eighth place after the tiebreak.

Concio, who held the lead in the seventh round, fell to a tie for ninth to 10th places with K K Dinujaya Kodithuwakku of Sri Lanka with 5.5 points.

The other Filipino campaigners did not fare any better.

Phil Martin Casiguran finished in 12th place with five points; AFM Andrei Ainsley Dolorosa wound up 14th with 4.5 points and Yuri Lei Paraguya settled for 17th place also with 4.5 points.

The other Filipino finishers are Sean Davis Romualdez, 18th with four points; Kyle Zeus del Mundo, 20th with four points; Andrew James Toledo, 22nd with four points; Alwyne Magpusao, 24th with 3.5 points; and Charles Chong, 25th with 3.5 points.

In the girls division, Shukhman overpowered world kiddies 12-under champion WFM Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana of Sri Lanka to clinch the title with eight points.

Halder Sneha of India humbled Arleah Cassandra Sapuan of the Philippines to finish in a tie for second to third places with last year’s champion WIM G. Tejaswani of India with seven .

Russian domination!

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Tejaswani was held to a draw by No. 5 WIM Kristina Popandopolu of Kazakhstan.

World Youth-bound Jemaica Mendoza was the highest-placed Filipina player in 12th place with 4.5 points espite settling for a draw with WCM Carmina Jasmine Ramas of Guam. Sapuan finished 15th with 4.5 points.

Apple Rubin and Elle Castronuevo managed 16th and 18th places with four points and 3.5 points, respectively.

Rubin drew with Pn Chen of Taipei, while Castronuevo outplayed Natalia Gu of Hong Kong.

IA Patrick Lee served as the suprvising arbiter, while IA Ricky Navalta was the deputy chief arbiter.

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