Top Sections Unchanged but Much Movement in the Lower Sections in the World Youth Championships

Refreshed from a break, energised by the Social and Talent Night and throughly entertained by the Vietnam Cultural Night, the young champions in the World Youth Championships reentered battle today for honours.

Yet nothing much has changed!

In the Open U-18, GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam and IM Ivan Saric of Croatia remain deadlocked on 6 points each while in the Girls U-18, the in form WGM Valentina Golubenko of Croatia is now a full point ahead of her challengers with 6.5 points.

The Open U-16 is another particularly competitive category and IM B Adhiban of India is now taken the sole lead with 6/7, a half point ahead of his nearest rivals, all three coming from India as well! In the Girls U-16, WFM Nazi Paikidze of Georgia and WFM Klaudia Kulon of Poland are still in a neck to neck race, also with 6 points apiece.

India continue to impress in the Open U-14 with FM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi leading with 6/7 and are also dominating the Girls U-14 with WIM Padini Rout on 6.5/7.

In the Open U-12, Darwin Yang of the USA is still the leader with 6.5 points but in the Girls U-12 Zhai Mo of China and WCM Medina Warda Aulia of Indonesia, the recent winner of the World Schools Championships have now taken the lead with 6 points each.

There is a 3 way tie on 6 points in the Open U-10, Moisavi Seyed Khalil of Iran, Jan-Krzystof Duda of Poland and Xu Yi of China all impressing. The Girls U-10 is even more complicated with a 4 way tie. WFM Simone Liao of the USA, Alekxandra Goryachkina of Russia, Li Zhouling of China and WFM Cecelie Haussernot of France all share the lead on 6 points.

In the Open U-8, Liu Xiangyi of China still leads with 6.5/7 and in the Girls U-8, Zhansaya Abdulmalik of Kazakhstan, Prathima M Bansi of India, and Gunay Mammadzada of Azerbeijan are the front runners with 6 points each.



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