Almaty Hosts World Chess Championships for Children

The FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships for children in age groups under 8, 10, and 12 has officially kicked off at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty.

The tournament has drawn 850 young chess players from 88 countries, including large delegations from India (28 participants), China (25), and the United States (24). As the host country, Kazakhstan is fielding a team of over 200 players, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazinform.

Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, called the event one of the most significant of the year, adding that it is a special honor to welcome Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.

He emphasized that top-tier competition begins at a young age.

"These World Championships is a unique opportunity for many of our young players to compete against their strongest peers from around the world," Turlov said.

He expressed confidence in the host nation's team, noting that Kazakh chess players have already won more than 100 medals this year. "We have very high hopes for these championships, and we believe many of our players in various categories have a chance to compete for the champion's title," he said. Timur Turlov added that Kazakhstan will compete alongside the strongest teams, such as India and China, and is likely to secure the top spots.

The tournament offers more than just experience; winning players will also receive cash prizes. Turlov mentioned that these prizes will amount to tens of thousands of dollars, though stressing that the main goal is to showcase young talent.