World Cadet Chess Championship 2025 Begins in Almaty, Kazakhstan
The World Cadet Chess Championship 2025 has officially started in Almaty, Kazakhstan. From September 19 to 30, more than 850 young chess players from 88 countries will compete for titles in the U8, U10, and U12 categories. Kazakhstan, the proud host nation, has the largest representation with over 200 players.
This strong participation highlights the government’s support for chess. Just days before the event, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the national Chess House. The building, once a presidential residence on the beautiful Lake Kopa, was transformed into a center for children last December.
During his visit, the president encouraged young athletes and stressed that the state is committed to promoting chess among children and youth.
A Grand Opening Ceremony
The championship opened with a spectacular ceremony featuring top dignitaries, including:
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Yerzhan Kosherbayev, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
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Darkhan Satybaldy, Akim of Almaty
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Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President
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Timur Turlov, President of KazChess
In his welcome speech, Timur Turlov highlighted the historic nature of the event:
No chess tournament in Kazakhstan has ever gathered such a massive lineup of players. This is a proud moment for our country and for Kazakh chess. We are hosting not just as organizers, but also as one of the world’s strongest chess nations.
The opening ceremony also included music, dance performances, and the playing of the Kazakh national anthem alongside the FIDE anthem.
Official First Moves
To mark the start of the championship, the distinguished guests made the first ceremonial moves on the top boards in the U12 Open and U12 Girls sections. With that, the World Cadet Chess Championship 2025 was officially declared open.
Tournament Schedule
Games will be played daily, with September 25 as the rest day. On this day, young players will enjoy:
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An excursion to the Shymbulak mountain resort
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The World Problem-Solving Championship
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A fun blitz tournament with a $2,000 prize fund
The stage is set for exciting battles of young chess talents from around the globe.
Photos: KazChess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
