Asian Youth Chess Championships 2025 Day 1 – Rapid Event

Asian Youth Chess Championships 2025 Day 1 – Rapid Event

The Boys U18 section kicked off with fireworks—and one unexpected plot twist. Seeded only 32nd and untitled, China’s Zhang Zhi decided rankings were just numbers and snatched the gold with a tie-break performance that basically said, “Surprise!” He topped a five-way traffic jam at the leaderboard that included four titled favorites. FM Alexander Fedosov (FIDE flag) battled his way to silver, edging out Tajikistan’s IM Ilkhumi Jaloliddin, who settled for bronze. IM Christian Gian Karlo Arca of the Philippines was also in the mix, proving this bracket was anything but predictable.

Over at the Girls U18, Jersey Marticio of the Philippines bounced back from a rough Round 1 like it was just a warm-up stretch. She rattled off six straight wins, grabbed the gold, and basically told the field, “Don’t let that first-round loss fool you.”

As for the overall standings, Team India strutted out of Day 1 at the top with a 3-1-5 gold-silver-bronze haul—clearly enjoying life at the summit. Vietnam and China followed close behind, keeping the leaderboard tight and the coaches very awake.

More stories, surprises, and chessboard drama coming your way in the next few days as we move into the main course—the Standard event. Stay tuned!

NM Winston Joseph Silva

Reporting for Asian Chess Federation and host Thailand Chess Association

*special thanks to AGM Mohamad Sacar, for logistical assistance