Rising Talents, Tactical Masterminds: Mendes Wins ChessKid YSCC
CM Aaron Mendes won the 4th ChessKid Youth Speed Chess Championship, defeating Antoni Radzimski in a riveting final between two rising talents. Throughout their clash, both prodigies displayed vast tactical expertise. Ultimately, it was Mendes's prudent clock management and resourceful defensive ability that gave him the upper hand.
How to watch?
You can watch the 2023 ChessKid Youth Speed Chess Championship on the ChessKid Twitch channel.
The live broadcast was hosted by FM Mike Klein, IM David Pruess, and WFM Kinga Polak.
On his road to the final, Mendes scored an upset victory vs. the top seed of the event, FM Faustino Oro―the world number one for 10-year-olds by a 141-point margin―in the semifinals.
Mendes himself jumped 171 rating points this month, due to his stellar performances at the Canadian Open and the Washington International Championship. This incredible leap took him to number three in the world for players up to age 11.
Radzimski is Poland's second-highest 11-year-old, rising through the ranks when he gained 232 rating points over February and March of this year. To reach the final, he overcame Megan Paragua in the playoff of a hard-fought semifinal match.
5+1: Mendes-Radzimski 4.5-2.5
Out of the gates, Mendes took a three-point lead. While both players played captivating chess, Mendes's better clock management in the early stages of the match helped him gain a comfortable lead.
Game four was a fascinating example of the dynamic clashes between these prodigies. Mendes won a center pawn in the early middlegame. To compensate, Radzimski set off a brilliant attack on the kingside, culminating with a rook sacrifice to further weaken the enemy monarch. Though in a challenging defensive position, Mendes had accumulated an extra minute on the clock while Radzimski had only seconds left. Mendes spent the majority of his remaining time figuring out his defense while his opponent was forced to move instantly. In the end, the Canadian candidate master held off the attack and traded into a winning ending.
Radzimski scored his first win of the match in game five with a dazzling king hunt.
Game six was an elegant display of Mendes' sharp tactical abilities. Can you find how he finished the game?
Mendes maintained his lead throughout the five-minute portion. Yet, by the end, Radzimski scored two compelling victories of his own, narrowing his opponent's lead to two and finishing with a win.
3+1: Mendes-Radzimski 5-3
Radzimski kicked off the 3-1 with a second victory in a row, bringing the match within one point. Additionally, the momentum was now on his side after winning three games from the last four.
With his lead on the line, Mendes fought back to stop Radzimski’s comeback. The Canadian prodigy won the next three games back-to-back. He won game 11 in an exceptional tactical and attacking style.
With 17 minutes left on the match clock, Radzimski was in a must-win four-in-a-row position. How would he fare in such a situation against a higher-rated opponent? Radzimski countered by winning the next two games, including his best of the match, game 12, where he showed off his own tactical prowess. Can you find Radzimski’s stunning attacking sequence?
In game 13, Mendes turned a close endgame into a winning position with a breakthrough on the kingside. This victory halted his opponent's comeback once and for all. With a three-game lead with time remaining for only one more game, Mendes had clinched the match and the championship.
He won the last game anyway to finish ahead by a four-point margin. In his post-match interview, Mendes shared the maturity behind his approach to the opening. After winning twice with the Scotch game, he switched variations after the break―before his opponent could unleash preparation: "I thought he might have prepared. I didn't think he would repeat the same mistake again."
As the ChessKid Youth Speed Chess Champion, Mendes wins $1000 and a lesson with a 2700+ grandmaster of his choice, while Radzimski earns $500 as the runner-up.
Youth Speed Chess Championship - Final Bracket
The ChessKid Youth Speed Chess Championship (CKYSCC) features a series of one-on-one matches against some of the world's top youth players, similar to Chess.com's Speed Chess Championship and Junior Speed Chess Championship.
Previous coverage
Vanessa West is a National Master, a chess teacher, and a writer for Chess.com. In 2017, they won the Chess Journalist of the Year award.
You can follow them on X: Vanessa__West
