World Cadets Chess Championship 2024 Kicks Off in Montesilvano, Italy
16/11/2024 - The World Cadets Chess Championship 2024 kicked off in Montesilvano, Italy, with a grand opening ceremony attended by Luigi Maggi, President of the Italian Chess Federation, Ozgur Solakoglu, FIDE Delegate, and Mayor Ottavio De Martinis. Ambassadors from three nations made the ceremonial first moves to mark the start of the event. Round 1 delivered exciting games and upsets. In Girls Under 8, 44th seed Balakanova Azaliya defeated 4th seed Eliza-Ioana, while Narayani Umesh Marathe held 7th seed Tamilselvan Tara to a draw. In Open Under 12, 74th seed Aadik Theophane Lenin drew with 2nd seed FM Smirnov Mark, and 75th seed Xia Jinnan held 3rd seed Ritzerveld Noah. With 716 players from 80 countries competing in the same hall, and all games broadcast live on DGT boards, the championship promises thrilling chess in the rounds to come. Report & Photos: Niklesh Jain