January 2025 Top Youth

January 2025 Top 100 Youth

Welcome & congratulations to Nora Maxfield (515) and Frankie Kirkman (452), who made the national Top 100 Girls.

  

US RankNameRating
Top Girls Age 7 and Under
1 Tang, Emily Jiaying 1397
69 NORA MAXFIELD 515
88 Kirkman, Frankie 452
Top Age 7 and Under
11 Tang, Emily Jiaying 1397
26 Li, Ethan 1205
Top Girls Age 8
4 Xia, Elizabeth 1773
5 Xin, Stella 1743
27 VALERIE YAN 1132
29 Gopal, Sri Akshika 1115
38 Kumar, Eesha 1052
78 Batmunkh, TSelmeg 792
87 ANGELICA CAIRO 745
Top Age 8
1 Li, Aiden Linyuan 2058
10 Xia, Elizabeth 1773
17 Xin, Stella 1743
69 Munkhsuld, Bishrelt 1308
Top Girls Age 9
20 Nali, Sahasra 1364
40 Biswas, Avidha 1078
51 Amireddy, Sadhvi 1029
63 Mahesh, Praakruthi 969
74 Banoth, Shanaya 900
Top Age 9
3 Yu, Matthew 1955
35 Tang, Edward Jiayi 1708
76 Kumar, Advik 1509
Top Girls Age 10
65 Bothe, Devaanshi 1029
Top Age 10
77 Silvestre, Lucas 1685
Top Girls Age 11
20 Zhan, Amy 1600
47 Sun,Yuanli 1298
Top Age 11
29 Rajkumar, Sachit Srinivas 1986
Top Girls Age 12
21 Chen, Victoria 1697
37 Bowman, Deborah 1578
42 Saha, Anisha 1534
Top Age 12
12 Khanbutaev, Artemii 2136
17 Baker, Aidan 2075
20 Tikhomirov, Matthew 2050
55 JUSTIN LEE 1932
55 Pittala, Ashvath Reddy 1932
Top Girls Age 13
8 Wang, Gaofei 1843
53 Sharad, Suhana 1407
54 VANSHIKA BANDARU 1404
59 Jiandani, Mehak S 1342
73 Ranjan, Nysa 1230
84 Hari, Nila 1137
Top Age 13
81 Zhang, Ryan 1912
83 MAHENDRA LAVANUR 1905
Top Girls Age 14
34 Manimaran, Shivani 1725
77 Bothe, Nysa 1245
Top Age 14
17 Rao, Anjaneya Sripathy 2251
21 Shetty, Anshul P 2225
73 Chennareddy, Yuvraj 1999
89 Das, Debarghya 1943
Top Girls Age 15
19 Pham, Linda 1773
31 Girish, Niyathi 1634
75 Sheridan, Wayra 1162
98 Gansukh, Megan 1043
Top Age 15
50 Mehrotra, Ekansh 2128
80 Feng, Jay 2030
Top Girls Age 16
26 Raj, Ria 1747
48 SOLOMIIA KUCHER 1492
Top Age 16
1 Mardov, Dimitar 2588
53 Gangavarapu, Sreekar 2113
74 Dmitriev, Andrey 2061
Top Girls Age 17
19 MERRILL LEE 1715
21 Himani Musku 1666
29 Oberai, Anisha 1585
32 Adusumalli, Saanvi 1548
62 Pashyan, Sofia 1205
65 JOSEPHINE GRACE SWAN 1200
80 LUCIA J SCRIMENTI 1066
82 Liu, Catherine 1043
Top Age 17
29 Xu, Arthur 2237
58 Zhao, Alex 2127
61 Malladi, Sadkrith 2110
88 Vikram Oberai 2055
99 WHITMAN KOSAK 2018
Top Girls Age 18
2 Wisniowski, Natalie 2106
7 Cortez, Rebecca 1973
15 Luster, Shakira Makayla 1789
45 Schneider, Rosali 1319
68 Wong, Megan E 989
Top Age 18
9 Kaplan, Avi Harrison 2418
48 Heller, Jack 2141
64 Wisniowski, Natalie 2106
94 Anthony Chen 2000

Three Illinois Players selected to the 2025 All American Team

Three Illinois Players selected to the 2025 All American Team

US Chess has announced the 2025 All American Chess Team.  Each member of the team received team jackets and plaques for their achievements.  Since 1987 being selected to the team has been one of the highest honors attainable for players aged 18 and under. The age groups with minimum ratings are as follows: Age 18 minimum rating of 2500, Age 17 minimum rating of 2475, Age 16 minimum rating of 2450, Age 15 minimum rating of 2425, Age 14 minimum rating of 2400, Age 13 minimum rating of 2350, Age 12 minimum rating of 2300, Age 11 minimum rating of 2225, Age 10 minimum rating of 2159, Age 9 minimum rating of 2050 and Age 8 and under minimum rating of 1950.

Illinois had 3 out the 58 players entering this year’s class of the 2025 All American Team.

We had one player in the Age 15 group and two in the Age 8 and under group.

 

Dimitar Mardov is in the Age 15 group.

mardov.jpg

Picture courtesy of his parents

 

Aiden LI was in the under 8 group

 

aiden.JPG

Picture courtesy of his parents.

 

Matthew Yu is in the under 8 group

matthew-yu.jpg

Picture courtesy of his parents.

 

The Illinois Chess Association want to congratulate the three Illinois players selected to the 2025 class. The complete US Chess article can be found here.

2024 National K-12 Grade Champonships

 

 2024 National K-12 Grade Champonships

 

 

The USCF expertly ran their 2024 National K-12 Grade Championship last week in National Harbor, Maryland from December 6-8, 2024

 

k12

The tournament had thirteen sections: Kindergarten and grades one to twelve and consisted of over 2700 players from 45 states. Of those 2700, Illinois sent 77 players across all age ranges. The following players participated in their first US Chess National event at this event:

 9th - SHANE ASBRA

11th - RAJINDER SINGH ATLURI

 9th - JAMES BEDNARZ

 9th - PIERCE BLANCHARD

10th - SOHAN CHAMARTHI

11th - ARITRA JANA

11th - LUCAS LAZARO

11th - GRIFFIN LEWIS

 2nd - ADHVIK MOHAN

 K  - ANVITHA MOHAN

 6th - ANISHA SAHA

 4th - MADHUVANTI SATHISH

11th - SAMUEL TAN

10th - ISHAAN TANNEERU

 K  - ALEXANDER WU

10th - YUXUAN XIE

12th - IMMANUEL ZEREGA

 

12th Grade Championship Section

Illinois was represented by 13 players including:

Avi Kaplan

Joseph Dai

Rebecca Cortez

Somil Bose

Evan Haddox

Immanuel Zerega

Daniel Dligach

Alexander Alvarez

William Zalmezak

Akshay Naik

Yinuo Huang

Lucia Scrimenti

Weijun Bao

 

Of whom, Avi Kaplan won the section with 6.0 points

avi.jpg

Picture courtesy of Avi’s parents

Illinois Swept the class prizes for 1000-1299

Immanuel Zerega won 1st place

    Note from coach: Manu (Immanuel) Zerega broke his right wrist the week before the tournament, so he had to notate using his left hand

Daniel Dligach won 2nd place

dan3

 Daniel Supplied last game postion and his medal

Lucia Scrimenti won 3rd place

 

Weijun Bao won the class prize for under 1000 in the 12 Grade Championship

Picture

Finally, Evanston Township High School came in 5th place as a team.

 evanston

Picture courtesy of the High School

Players left to right: Lucia Scrimenti, Wayra Sheridan, Sam Kemeny, Will Zalmezak, Ryan Cowan, Adam Elgat, Manu Zerega, Adam Sklar, Alastair Keely-Walker, Lucas Lazaro, Daniel Dligach, Asa Lieberman, Griffin Lewis, Shane Asbra, Somil Bose.

11th Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 11 players including:

David Chen

Adam Elgat

Dimitrios Deligiannis

Alastrir Keely-Walker

Lucas Lazaro

Nithin Ramasamy

Griffin Lewis

Samuel Tan

Ryan Cowan

Rajinder Atluri

Aritta Jana

Samuel Tan won 3rd place class for 1000-1299

Lucas Lazaro won 1st place class for under 1000

Ryan Cowan won 2nd place class for under 1000

Pictures

10th Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 13 players including:

 

Justin Zhang

Asa Lieberman

William Wang

Theodore Han

Micah Mostovoy

Andy Cao

Yuxuan Xie

Atharva Naik

Ishann Tanneeru

Sohan Chamarthi

Vincent Lan

Joanna Marsten

Adam SklarYuxuan

Theodore Han won 1st place class 1300-1599

theodore

Theodore-s picture courtesy of his parents

 

Micah Mostovoy won 1st place class 1100-1299

Sohan Chamarthi won 2nd place class under 1000.

sohan 

Sohan's picture courtesy of his parents

9th Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 5 players including:

 

Timur Turba

Shane Asbra

James Bednarz

Wayra Sheridan

Pierce Blanchard

8th Grade Championship section

 

There were not any Illinois players who represented at the tournament.

7th Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 2 players including:

Ashvath Pittala

Arjun Kota

6th Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 1 player:

Anisha Saha

5th Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 1 player:

Anfad Saran

Anfad Saran won 2nd place class under 1100-1300.

Picture

4th Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 2 players including:

Avidhas Biswas

Maduvanti Sathish

3rd Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 2 players including:

Aiden Li

Bishrelt Munkshuld

Aiden Li won his section with 6.5 points.

 

aiden

Picture courtesy of his parents.

 

2nd Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 1 player

Adhvik Mohan

picture

Advik Mohan won 2nd place class 600-799

1st Grade Championship section

 

Illinois was not represented

Kindergarten Championship section

 

Illinois was represented by 2 players including:

Alexander Wu

Anvitha Mohan.

Picture

Alexander Wu won 3rd place class 400-599.

 

Linked here is a complete pre-tournament registration report for the event, courtesy of US Chess, and the US rating report. Following these links, you can view the full results across any sections instead of the abbreviated standings above.

Once again, we want to congratulate a remarkable turnout from our Illinois Chess Association players and the great assistance of Edwin Walker, head of our Warren Scholars program, for procuring much of the data used to report on. 

Finally, congratulations to all the players 

If anyone wants an article written or edited, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

 

FIDE WORLD CADET CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024

FIDE WORLD CADET CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024

In Montesilvano, Italy from November 15 to November 26 over 700 players, representing over 70 countires particpated in the FIDE World Cadet Championship 2024. The US sent 46 players to compete across the three Open (U-12, U-10, U-8) and three Girls (U-12, U-10, U-8) sections of the 11-round Swiss System event.

Three players were from Illinois Aiden Li, Stella Xin and Elizabeth Xia. 

Winning the bronze in the Girls U8 was Stella Xin. Scoring 8.5 out of 11 earning the WCM title. Stella2024WC

Photo courtesy of Huijun Feng

Elizabeth Xia scored 8.0 in the Girls U8, finishing tied for fourth (3 way)

ElizbethWC 

Photo courtesy of Elle Yang

Aiden Li scored 8.5 earning fourth, in the Open U8.  Aiden had an outstanding perforumance leading 6 out of 6 going into the 7th round. 

aidenliWC 

Photo courtesy of Elle Yang

 

All the players were at this year’s ICA youth invitational. Aiden won the Rockefeller (K-5), Elizabeth came in 8th place in the Harring (Girls) and Stella came in 4th in the Harring (Girls) sections

 

November 2024 Top Youth

November 2024 Top 100 Youth

 

Welcome & congratulations to 13-year-old Nila Hari (1113) and Mahendra Lavanur (1862), who made the national Top 100 Girls lists for Regular Top Girls Age 13

 

US RankNameRating
Top Girls Age 7 and Under
2 Tang, Emily Jiaying 1328
52 Balivada, Poorvika 592
Top Age 7 and Under
16 Tang, Emily Jiaying 1328
29 Li, Ethan 1209
89 EMIN BILGIC 940
Top Girls Age 8
2 Xia, Elizabeth 1811
3 Xin, Stella 1795
4 Mahesh, Praakruthi 928
21 VALERIE YAN 1209
35 Kumar, Eesha 1002
46 Gopal, Sri Akshika 911
52 Batmunkh, TSelmeg 882
100 Wisniowski, Nicole 644
Top Age 8
1 Li, Aiden Linyuan 2031
7 Xia, Elizabeth 1811
8 Xin, Stella 1795
72 Munkhsuld, Bishrelt 1314
Top Girls Age 9
23 Nali, Sahasra 1297
41 Biswas, Avidha 1114
70 Amireddy, Sadhvi 903
71 Banoth, Shanaya 896
Top Age 9
72 Tang, Edward Jiayi 1531
Top Girls Age 10
69 Bothe, Devaanshi 1009
Top Age 10
78 Silvestre, Lucas 1668
Top Girls Age 11
29 Zhan, Amy 1559
30 Saha, Anisha 1556
53 Sun,Yuanli 1298
Top Age 11
16 Tikhomirov, Matthew 2046
75 Rajkumar, Sachit Srinivas 1844
Top Girls Age 12
30 Bowman, Deborah 1558
34 Chen, Victoria 1480
52 Ranjan, Nysa 1259
Top Age 12
14 Khanbutaev, Artemii 2120
28 Baker, Aidan 2017
39 JUSTIN LEE 1984
60 Pittala, Ashvath Reddy 1921
98 Vanama, Agastya 1822
Top Girls Age 13
12 Wang, Gaofei 1774
41 Sharad, Suhana 1484
47 Jiandani, Mehak S 1429
73 VANSHIKA BANDARU 1200
88 Hari, Nila 1113
Top Age 13
87 Zhang, Ryan 1879
92 MAHENDRA LAVANUR 1862
Top Girls Age 14
36 Manimaran, Shivani 1700
76 Bothe, Nysa 1281
93 Sheridan, Wayra 1197
Top Age 14
16 Rao, Anjaneya Sripathy 2256
22 Shetty, Anshul P 2218
78 Chennareddy, Yuvraj 1999
89 Das, Debarghya 1971
Top Girls Age 15
8 Chennareddy, Sire 1087
22 Pham, Linda 1718
30 Girish, Niyathi 1634
Top Age 15
41 Mehrotra, Ekansh 2128
70 Feng, Jay 2036
Top Girls Age 16
24 Raj, Ria 1747
28 MERRILL LEE 1715
55 SOLOMIIA KUCHER 1442
89 JOSEPHINE GRACE SWAN 1200
Top Age 16
1 Mardov, Dimitar 2588
43 Zhao, Alex 2167
51 Gangavarapu, Sreekar 2130
75 Dmitriev, Andrey 2061
89 Justin Zhang 2026
Top Girls Age 17
21 Himani Musku 1666
28 Oberai, Anisha 1585
29 Adusumalli, Saanvi 1548
43 Schneider, Rosali 1319
58 Pashyan, Sofia 1205
70 Liu, Catherine 1118
73 LUCIA J SCRIMENTI 1062
Top Age 17
8 Vikram Oberai 2055
29 Xu, Arthur 2238
59 Malladi, Sadkrith 2110
99 WHITMAN KOSAK 2018
Top Girls Age 18
2 Wisniowski, Natalie 2096
8 Cortez, Rebecca 1947
13 Luster, Shakira Makayla 1789
68 Wong, Megan E 989
Top Age 18
8 Kaplan, Avi Harrison 2378
44 Heller, Jack 2141
60 Wisniowski, Natalie 2096
91 Anthony Chen 2000

 

The lists compiled by US Chess are based on regular ratings achieved and processed by the third Wednesday of the previous month

If you believe a person was inadvertently omitted from this list, please kindly contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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