Indians sweep the World Junior Championship

The World Junior Championship was held in Gaziantep, the sixth largest city and one of the major economic centers in Turkey. There are two central districts within the Centrum, Sahinbay and Sehitkamil. The municipality of Sehitkamil was the host and sponsor of the 2008 World Junior Championship.

Indians Celebrate Independence and World Junior titles

Report from Gaziantep by Özgür Akman

Abhijeet Gupta and Harika Dronavalli won the World Junior titles, after dramatic turnarounds, which are frequent in World Junior Championships, this time held in Gaziantep between 2-16 August. The young Indians had brought a second reason to celebrate: August 15, which happens to be the date that India declared its independence from United Kingdom.

Round 12: Still Far From Being Conclusive

The number of rounds left is decreasing, but the excitement in the event keeps rising. In the penultimate round, Abhijeet Gupta continued his comeback by defeating Arik Braun, who has been playing on the very top boards. David Howell won against Maxim Rodhstein to catch up with Abhijeet Gupta, while Parimarjan Negi ground down the Vietnamese grandmaster Ngoc Truong Son Nguyen at 9 points out of 12. The three-way tie at 9 points out of 12 between Abhijeet Gupta, Parimarjan Negi and David Howell is followed by a group of two: Eltaj Safarli and Arik Braun, who are withing striking distance with 8.5 points. Those five players had a chance to win the world junior title.

In the contest for the world junior girls title, Harika Dronavalli gained a large advantage after winning against Narmin Kazimova and reaching ten points. Her closest rival, Mariya Muzychuk, was not able to surpass Anastasia Bodnaruk and is chasing her from further away now, with 9 points. Swaminathan Soumya and Miranda Mikadze drew with each other and share third place with 8.5 points after round 12. Five players led by Kübra Öztürk from the home country are among the group having 8 points.

Round 13: Abhijeet Gupta Completes the Streak and
Wins the World Junior Title, Harika Confirms Her Lead

The World Junior Championship had a very dramatic conclusion, as expected. Abhijeet Gupta won another game, against David Howell, and completed his magnificent sprint in the final rounds of the contest. Abhijeet won the World Junior title with ten points, since Parimarjan Negi drew with Arik Braun.

The victory against David Howell from England on the Independence Day of India meant Abhijeet Gupta is the third Indian world junior champion, after Vishwanathan Anand and Pentala Harikrishna. Parimarjan Negi, the 15-year-old boy, won the silver medal with 9.5 points. Third place was shared by Arik Braun, David Howell, Eltaj Safarli, Hou Yifan and Bassem Amin.

On the steps: GM Parimarjan Negi, GM Abhijeet Gupta (both India), IM Arik Braun (Germany), GM Eltaj Safarli (Azerbaijan), WGM Hou Yifan (China), GM Amin Bassem (Egypt)

Boys (open section) – final standings after 13 rounds

Harika Dronavalli clinched the world junior girls title by drawing against Katerina Nemcova in the final round. She was out of reach to anybody else in the field. Nazi Paikidze won a crucial victory against Mariya Muzychuk and caught her at 9 points. Mary Ann Gomes was another Indian to win a medal by defeating Miranda Mikadze of Georgia.

However, the most dramatic game was between Kübra Öztürk, the hope of the home country and the most successful country in the competition (India). Kübra Öztürk faced Swaminathan Soumya and was close to winning at some point, then almost spoilt it. However, unfortunately for the Indian girl she lost on time when she was very close to a draw, which enabled the Turkish girl from Ankara to bring another historic medal to Turkey after two under-16 European titles. This time a much stronger event and very good fighting chess brought Kübra the first WGM norm achieved by any female players in this country, and the shared second place.

The winners: WFM Nazi Paikdze (Georgia), WGM Nariya Muzychuk (Ukraine), IM Harika Dronavalli (India), WFM Kübra Öztürk (Turkey), WIM Mary Ann Gomes (India). All the players who shared the second place received a silver medal according to the regulations.

Girls' section – final standings after 13 rounds

The World Junior Championship ended gloriously for India, one of the fastest developing chess countries in the world and already very close to the top, with an army of young talents and top grandmasters like Krishnan Sasikiran, Pentala Harikrishna and Koneru Humpy. And of course world champion Vishwanathan Anand. India also won the Asian Games in Doha and looking for many more medals from the cradle of chess them in the future.

Links Official tournament site of the Turkish Chess Federation All games available so far in zipped PGN: Open section + Girls' section A selection of games is being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.

Pictorial impressions from the last two rounds

Turkan Mamedyarova, Kübra Öztürk and Betül Cemre Yildiz chatting before the game

The playing hall, with Nataliya Muzychuk, mother of the Muzychuk sisters, kibitzing her daughter’s game against Anastasia Bodnaruk

The Indians are coming: Abhijeet Gupta (right), Parimarjan Negi (and Maxim Rodshtein with the long hair)

Khayala Isgandarova from Azerbaijan, who happens to be a great table-tennis player, scored 6.5 out of 13.

Grandmaster Xu Jun, trainer of the Chinese youth

GM Ngoc Truong Son Nguyen, 2579, from Vietnam scored 8.5 points and shared 8-14.places

WFM Silvia-Raluca Sgircea from Romania scored 7.5 out of 13

Raushan Kumar Jaiswal from the roof of the world, Nepal, scored 4 out of 13

Jeremias Bianca Albani from Portugal, scored 6 out of 13

Kübra Öztürk, one the way to the first medal in World Junior Championship for her country

Abijeet Gupta scored five consecutive victories in the final rounds

Amin Bassem, only the second grandmaster of Egpyt, the first ever being Ahmed Adly, who won the World Junior Championship title last year

Hou Yifan and Lin Chen. Hou received her second grandmaster norm with a performance of 2661

Narmin Kazimova from Azerbaijan

Fatma Yildiz, one of the dedicated sports experts of the Turkish Chess Federation, with Turkan Mamedyarova

A table tennis derby between Khayala Isgandarova and Chao Li

Nazi Paikidze, deputy chief arbiter Namig Ismailov and Marie Boyarchenko

Everybody leaving Turkey, a nice farewell photo...

Representatives from all of the organizers together: Honorary President of FIDE Florencio Campomanes, Continental President of Americas Jorge Vega, Mayor of Sehitkamil Metin Özkarsli and President of the Turkish Chess Federation Ali Nihat Yazici

In good health and spirits: Florencio Campomannes, Honorary President of FIDE

Protocol from the closing ceremony, including the Governor of Gaziantep Süleyman Kamçi, Member of the Parliament from Gaziantep Ibrahim Mazicoglu, the Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality of Gaziantep Dr. Asim Güzelbey, the sponsor of the event Mayor of Sehitkamil Metin Özkarsli, Honorary President of FIDE Florencio Campomanes, TCF President and FIDE Vice-President Ali Nihat Yazici

All pictures by Özgür Akman