Begmuratov and Roebers Crowned World Juniors at Al Ain Rapid Championship

Champions Emerge from Nine-Round Battle in the UAE

Al Ain, United Arab Emirates — Uzbekistan’s Khumoyun Begmuratov and the Netherlands’ Eline Roebers captured the Open and Girls world titles at the FIDE World Junior Rapid Championship 2026, held from November 1 to 7 at the Danat Al Ain Resort.

The tournament brought together 185 players from 40 countries across nine rapid rounds, contested under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and organised by the Al Ain Chess & Mind Games Club in cooperation with the UAE Chess Federation, with FIDE overseeing proceedings.

Open Section: Begmuratov Claims Gold on Unbeaten Score

Begmuratov secured the world title with an unbeaten 7.5 out of 9, recording six wins and three draws. India’s Pranav V. finished as runner-up on 7/9, while Azerbaijan’s Raad Samadov took bronze, also on 7/9; both medallists were separated on tiebreaks.

Girls Section: Roebers Tops the Board

In the Girls competition, Roebers claimed the world title with a score of 7/9. Umida Omonova of Uzbekistan earned silver and Marina Kuznetsova, competing under the FIDE flag, took bronze — both finishing on 6.5/9, with Omonova advancing on tiebreak.

Ceremony and Special Awards

The final round commenced with a ceremonial first move by Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs, who also presented trophies alongside Hisham Ali Al Taher and Counsellor Yousif Al Afreet Al Kuwaiti of the Al Ain Chess & Mind Games Club. Confederation presidents from the Americas, Ibero-America, and Africa joined in presenting special awards.

• Best Arab Male Player — Abdalrahman Sameh Mohamed (Egypt)
• Best Arab Female Player — Rouda Essa Alserkal (UAE)
• Best Male Player, Al Ain Chess & Mind Games Club — Ghaith Saeed Al Nuaimi
• Best Female Player, Al Ain Chess & Mind Games Club — Sheikha Abdulla Almeraikhi

The special recognitions were presented in celebration of Al Ain’s designation as the Arab Capital of Tourism for 2026.

Source

This report is based on information published by FIDE — International Chess Federation.

Official source: https://www.fide.com/world-junior-rapid-championship-2026-khumoyun-begmuratov-and-eline-roebers-capture-titles/