- 12th IBCA World Junior and Women’s Championship for the Blind Concludes with Grand Closing Ceremony, Honouring Top Winners from Ukraine, Poland and Kazaksthan
Bangalore, 7th October 2024: The 12th edition of the IBCA World Junior and World Women Championship for the Blind and Visually-impaired closed the curtains on their 9-day tournament on the 6th of October at the Chancery Pavillion Hotel, Bangalore.
The Winners of the Tournament from the Women’s Section are, on the First Rank is WIM player, Zsiltzova-Lisenko Lubov of Ukraine, followed by Egeman Emilia of Poland in the Second Place and Tryjanska Emilia of Poland in the Third Place.
The Winners of Tournament in the Junior Sections are, in the First Place Salamon Julia of Poland followed by Racis Micheal of Poland in the Second Position and Kuanyshuly Nurgisa of Kazakhstan in the Third Place.
Megha Chakroborty from India (Asian Para Game medalist) ranked 7th amongst the other champion players.
The Game In the Womens Section
In 1989, Zsiltzova won the IBCA Women’s Championship for the first time. She was the strongest contender for the title and easily swept all the points to regain her title for the 12th time. Egeman Emilia of Poland scored 7.5 out of 9 rounds and secured a Silver medal. Tryjanska Emilia of Poland Scored 7 points and settled for Bronze medal.
The Game In the Junior Section
Racis Michal and Slamon Julia of Poland competed against each other for the title. The race between these two players was highly intriguing. In the third round, they faced each other and agreed to a quick draw in order to maintain their joint lead. By the end of the fifth round, they were still tied for first place. However, in the sixth round, Racis Michal only managed to secure a draw with Gardisek Bor of Slovenia, while Julia defeated Waghmare Tanish of India. This victory propelled Julia to the sole lead, with a half – point advantage. She maintained this lead until the ninth round and clinched 12th IBCA World Junior Chess Championship for the Blind and Visually Impaired 2024. Racis Michal earned a Silver medal. Kuanyshuly Nurgisa of Kazakhstan won Broze medal.
The closing ceremony was graced in the presence of esteemed sponsors and panel guests, The President of AICFB, Dr. Charudutta Jadhav; Grand Master Tej Kumar; Mr. Arun Kumar, Director Food and beverage Committe at the Chancery Pavillion Hotel; Mrs Padhmavati R., Joint Director at Karnatak Milk Federation; Mr. Rangnath Shenoy, CEO of Giniminds; Professor Amit Prakash of IIIT Banglore & Founder of Visual Empower; Ms. Marilyn Bland, member of IBCA Executive Board.
Dr. Charudatta Jadhav, President of All India Chess Federation for the Blind, shared his words on the significance of the tournament and the remarkable achievements,“ Chess is more than just a game; it’s a chance for growth and connection. This tournament truly highlights the skill and passion of our players. Each match was filled with focus and determination, showing how they navigate challenges with grace. It’s inspiring to see how the game brings everyone together, proving that it’s not just about winning, but about the journey and friendships we build along the way.”
The awarding ceremony ended in celebration for the top six players in each category, proudly awarded with medals and trophies, with great achievements marked in these excellent groups of players. The event reached its poignant end as everyone gathered to sing the national anthem to honor the spirit of unity and excellence in our chess community.
About AICFB: All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB) was established in 1997 to promote the game of chess amongst the blind in India. AICFB is a non-profit organization, affiliated with the International Braille Chess Association (IBCA), the apex world body for chess for the blind, and AICF (recognized by the Government of India). Through this affiliation, we integrate our blind chess players with the rest of the world. AICFB is responsible for the development and promotion of chess activities amongst the visually impaired all over the world. 14 state bodies are affiliated & more than 3000 active chess players have been registered with AICFB. We organized 34 National championships (Men, Women, junior (under 19), School, 75+ FIDE rating national open chess tournaments, and 800+ domestic tournaments (Zonals, States, National Open, Invitation cup).
