The first 2 rounds of the FIDE World Schools Team Championship 2025 kicked off in Washington, D.C. with fireworks on the board. A mix of upsets, clean sweeps, and standout individual performances proved that ratings aren’t everything and every team came ready to fight.
Round 1 – Underdogs Make a Statement
Cyprus 2–2 Slovakia
Despite being ranked 27 places lower, the Grammar School Limassol held 7th seed Gymnázium Grösslingová from Slovakia to a draw. Christodoulos Daniil’s upset win over Lucia Tomcaniova on board 3 helped tip the balance.
- Board 1: FM Sokratis Savvides (2040, CYP) ½–½ FM Sebastian Tar (2293, SVK)
- Board 2: Pavlos Aristidou (1807) ½–½ Lukas Petrik (2085)
- Board 3: Christodoulos Daniil (1671) 1–0 Lucia Tomcaniova (2010)
- Board 4: Nikolas Nikiforou (1384) 0–1 Adam Sucansky (1809)
Key Moment: Daniil’s 339-point upset was the linchpin in a stunning team draw.
New Zealand 3–1 Kazakhstan D. Konaev School
While Wellington College comfortably beat D. Konaev High School 3–1, the surprise came on board 3, where 1582-rated Nurasyl Sapartileuov took down New Zealand’s Karthik Sethuramalingam (1800).
- Board 1: Keni Liu (2066, NZL) 1–0 Almas Assylbek (1631, KAZ)
- Board 2: William Zhao (2021) 1–0 Ramazan Karabek (1539)
- Board 3: Karthik Sethuramalingam (1800) 0–1 Nurasyl Sapartileuov (1582)
- Board 4: Harry Shen (1931) 1–0 Tamerlan Bekzhan (unrated)
Key Moment: Sapartileuov’s 218-point win over a vastly higher-rated opponent gave Kazakhstan a morale boost.
Hungary 3–1 Honduras
Diana Bobadilla, rated just 1697, stunned Hungary’s WCM Nandin-Erdene Davaademberel (1986) on board 1, though her team fell 1–3 overall to the 16th seed Debreceni Fazekas Mihaly Gimnazium.
- Board 1: WCM Nandin-Erdene Davaademberel (1986, HUN) 0–1 Diana Bobadilla (1697, HON)
- Board 2: Borka Blanka (1824) 1–0 Lidia Medina (1501)
- Board 3: Botlik Csongor (1973) 1–0 Leonardo Ulloa (1324)
- Board 4: Kiss Benedek (1786) 1–0 Fabian Garcia (unrated)
Key Moment: Bobadilla took down a 289-point favorite, sending a signal that Honduras shouldn’t be overlooked.
Round 2 – Singapore Topples a Giant
Raffles Institution (Singapore) 3–1 Cantonal School Alpenquai Lucerne (Switzerland)
In the biggest team upset so far, 19th seed Raffles Institution overcame 5th seed Cantonal School Alpenquai Lucerne 3–1. FM Goh Zi Han led the charge by defeating FM Matthias Mattenberger, and teammates Aaron Chia and Yang Hao Loh followed up with victories on boards 3 and 4. This win catapults Singapore into serious contention.
- Board 1: FM Goh Zi Han (2200, SIN) 1–0 FM Matthias Mattenberger (2350, SUI)
- Board 2: Lim Daren (2030) 0–1 Loic Grolimund (2224)
- Board 3: Aaron Chia (unrated) 1–0 Emilio Schori (2057)
- Board 4: Yang Hao Loh (unrated) 1–0 Enrico Probst (1992)
Key Moment: Chia’s win against a 2057-rated opponent, despite no rating, was a dagger. Goh’s victory on top board sealed the momentum.
About the FIDE World Schools Team Championship 2025
The FIDE World Schools Team Championship 2025 is a major scholastic chess event organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), taking place at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, USA. Its primary goal is to promote chess as a tool for education, inclusivity, and personal development among young players.
The championship will feature 55 schools from 47 countries, making it one of the largest global tournaments for young chess players. Teams must represent a single educational institution and consist of four main players, one reserve, and a non-playing captain. To encourage diversity, teams are encouraged to include both boys and girls, with at least two players born in 2012 or later. All participants must have a FIDE ID, and national federations are responsible for verifying player eligibility. Strict penalties, including disqualification and bans, are in place for non-compliance with eligibility rules.
The tournament will follow an 8-round Swiss system format, with two games played per day over four days. Each game will have a time control of 45 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. Team captains must submit their fixed board order before the technical meeting and their daily team composition 30 minutes before each round. Fair Play Protection Measures will be implemented, and specific FIDE regulations and Olympiad Pairing Rules will apply.
Teams will be ranked based on matchpoints, followed by Olympiad Sonneborn-Berger Tie-Break (Chennai) and gamepoints. Individual board prizes will be determined by gamepoint percentage, number of games played, number of games won, and Buchholz tie-breaks. All participants will receive certificates, while the top three teams will be awarded cups and medals. Individual board medalists also receive medals and certificates, provided they play a minimum of 6 games.
Accommodation and travel are largely covered for nominated teams, with FIDE providing travel grants and ISCF offering full board accommodation in on-campus housing or a 4-star hotel. Accompanying persons and non-nominated teams can stay at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center at their own expense. Free airport transfers and local transportation will be provided for all participants.
Players and captains are expected to adhere to a dress code (team uniform) and attend all official functions. Organizers reserve the right to use media materials (photos, recordings, livestreams) for promotional purposes. National federations are responsible for ensuring the suitability and background checks of non-playing captains and accompanying persons.
Among the participating teams, the National School of Physics and Mathematics from Kazakhstan (average rating 2229) and India’s Velammal MHS School (average rating 2210) are the top-rated contenders.
Concurrent with the championship, the “Smart Moves Summit” will be held on August 4th and 5th, 2025. This conference will bring together educators, scientists, policymakers, and chess leaders from over 30 countries to discuss the integration of chess into education and child development, particularly in an era influenced by Artificial Intelligence.
Watch the FIDE World Schools Team Championship 2025 live here
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