Begmuratov Goes Unbeaten to Win World Junior Rapid in Al Ain

Uzbekistan’s Khumoyun Begmuratov won the Open section of the FIDE World Junior Rapid Championship 2026 at the Danat Al Ain Resort. He finished on 7.5/9 with six wins and three draws, and he did not lose a game. Eline Roebers of the Netherlands took the Girls title on 7/9.

The championship ran from November 1 to 7 in Al Ain, UAE, and drew 185 players from 40 countries competing for four world titles. It was organised by the Al Ain Chess & Mind Games Club with the UAE Chess Federation, under FIDE supervision.

Open: a tiebreak decides the podium

Behind Begmuratov, two players finished level on 7/9. India’s Pranav V. took silver and Azerbaijan’s Raad Samadov took bronze, with tiebreaks separating them.

Half a point is the margin that mattered. An unbeaten run with three draws was enough to finish clear: in a nine-round rapid event, draws cost little, while a single loss can end a title bid.

Roebers was already in the picture early on. She sat half a point off the lead in the Girls section after the opening rounds, so her 7/9 finish was a climb rather than a wire-to-wire run.

Girls: silver on tiebreaks

Uzbekistan’s Umida Omonova took silver in the Girls section. Marina Kuznetsova, competing under the FIDE flag, took bronze. Both scored 6.5/9, and Omonova got the higher place on tiebreaks.

That gives Uzbekistan a title in the Open and a silver in the Girls section. Whether that reflects depth in the country’s junior programme is a fair question, though the results alone only show a strong week.

The ninth round and the ceremony

Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs, made the ceremonial first move in the ninth and final round. He then helped crown the champions.

Hisham Ali Al Taher, Secretary-General of the Asian Chess Federation and Managing Director and CEO of the Al Ain club, was also at the ceremony. Yousif Al Afreet Al Kuwaiti, the club’s Board Member and Treasurer, helped present trophies and medals as well.

Three continental leaders attended the opening of the decisive round: José Antonio Carrillo of the Confederation of Chess for the Americas, Javier Ochoa of the Ibero-American Chess Federation, and Bernard Wanjala of the African Chess Confederation. They joined in presenting the special awards.

Arab Capital of Tourism awards

Because Al Ain is the Arab Capital of Tourism for 2026, there were special awards for the best Arab players. Egypt’s Abdalrahman Sameh Mohamed received Best Arab Player. The UAE’s Rouda Essa Alserkal was named Best Arab Female Player.

The host club gave its own prizes too. Ghaith Saeed Al Nuaimi received the club’s Best Male Player award, and Sheikha Abdulla Almeraikhi received the Best Female Player award.