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With 92 boys and 68 girls, the World Junior has one of the biggest entries of recent years. As one would expect, Europe is the best represented continent with large contingents also from Asia and the Americas. African representation is somewhat sparse – a reflection not only of the cost of travel, but also of the fact that the African Individual Championship is taking place in Lusaka, Zambia, at the same time. Nor should we forget George Wendi Xie, the solitary participant from the Antipodes.
Hamidullah Sarwary with our reporter Nigel Short
Some people, such as Hamidullah Sarwary from Afghanistan, have had to overcome obstacles to get here. Like many of his countrymen, he was forced to flee to Pakistan during the war – the one important consolation being that he was introduced to cricket! An interpreter for the U.S.Army for the last three years, this very polite young man was fortunate enough to have a relatively well-paid job. Even so, it required financial contributions from other family members to make the trip viable. Apparently chess is quite popular in Kabul, frequently being played in the streets, but there is little structure and only club.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov continued his winning ways demolishing Levon Babujyan of Armenia. With a hefty 2674 elo, the Azeri tactician is the man to beat, in my opinion. That said, I should remind people that the odds of him (or indeed anyone) carrying off a second World Junior title are statistically rather low in a tournament of so many participants. His countryman Vugar Gashimov, a blitz expert and one of just four players over the 2600 barrier, has a close escape in his game against Tornike Sanikadze, who nervously accepted a draw in a position of manifest superiority, but with little time.
Top seed GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, 2674, AZE
Having witnessed various horrific blunders yesterday, I will take a short interlude to say again how abominable this FIDE time-control is. In San Luis, Argentina, the Topalovs and Anands of the world were given the opportunity to play proper chess, but here, and indeed at most tournaments, they are not. How on earth the imbeciles who pushed for the introduction of this super-fast time control could expect anyone to play decent endgames (we are not talking about correspondence chess here, just a chance to pause and think a little) is beyond comprehension. One can only conclude that either the powers that be do not understand or do not care for chess, and probably both. Philistinism has prevailed, and until we obtain an administration that is sympathetic to the views of ordinary chess players, things will remain in this deplorable state.
With the players still jockeying for position at this very early stage it is difficult to identify who is hot and who is not. Probably we will have to wait until after five or even six rounds before we can really see who is truly in contention for a medal. For the moment I will confine myself to noting that Radoslav Wojtaszek, another 2600 player player and someone to whom I suffered a particularly painful defeat in Warsaw last year, ground down Vasily Papin in a rook and bishop endgame. The Pole exudes confidence. With the Under 18 trophy already adorning his bedroom, he will no doubt be eager to add to his collection of silverware.
The girls' section of the World Junior Championship
The women’s event featured two notable upsets with top-seeded Nana Dzagnidze being outplayed by Liu Pei in a Torre Attack. The Georgian dropped a pawn in the middlegame but even then retained a measure of counterplay. Only after a further inaccuracy did the position become untenable. The Chinese girl then swiftly dispatched her esteemed opponent with some forceful kingside thrusts.
Anna Ushenina became the next highly ranked victim when she squandered a very promising position to lose abruptly to a mating attack to Bela Khotenashvili. However both Bathuyag Mongontuul and Natalia Zbeskaya advanced their cases, with the former sacrificing her queen effectively. Joining them on two points are Tania Sachdev – the “Indian Kosteniuk”, as she has been dubbed – who won what can only be described as a hopelessly lost position against the Atousa Pourkashiyan of Iran; the Romanian duet of Camelia Ciobanu and Alina Motoc; Gu Xiaobing; Salome Melia; and last, but not least, the ever popular Anna Sharevich.
In fourth place: WIM Anna Sharevich, 2305, BLR
For reasons I cannot adequately explain to wife, I am always particularly interested in girls’ events, but given my official responsibility as a serious reporter, I shall endeavour to put hormonal considerations aside and be as impartial as possible in my coverage of both tournaments over the coming days.
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Levon Babujian, 2429 ARM, vs GM Ferenc Berkes, 2596 HUN
Mehdi Ouakhir, 2239, MAR, and Erhan Tanrikulu, 2151, TUR
Third place with 3.5/4: GM Jan Smeets, 2531, NED
In fourth place: FM Wei Chenpeng, 2390, CHN
GM Elshan Moradiabadi, 2497, IRI
Third place after four rounds: WFM Alina Motoc, 2313, ROM
WIM Bianca Muhren, 2260, NED
Barbara Coddens, BEL
IM Elisabeth Paehtz, 2408, GER
Farid Zeynalov, 2179, AZE
Hans Tikkanen, 2343, SWE
Sarah Hoolt, 2144, GER
IM Ildar Khairullin, 2537, RUS
WFM Karina Szczepkowska, 2278, POL
