Mujaahid Bin Yazeed won the first match played in the standard tournament of the ongoing “Western Asian Junior Chess Championship 2022”, on Friday.

The young Maldivian player emerged victorious in the first match played under the open under 18 category of the standard tournament, on Friday, after going head-to-head against Bangladeshi player Master Manon.

A total of nine rounds will be observed in the standard tournament of the Western Asian Junior Chess Championship.

The standard rounds began on Friday and will proceed until Wednesday.

Mujaahid, 16, is celebrated for his skills at a national level and had secured third spot in the last national championship he participated in.

The first component of the chess championship; rapid round ended on Thursday with the team from India in the lead.

Besides India, players from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh had also secured places in the rapid rounds.

The final component, beach blitz round will begin on Thursday.

The championship, organized by the Maldives Chess Association, is being held at the Convention Center in Ukulhas island of Alif Alif atoll, from June 16 – 23.

The championship will proceed under six age groups, in both male and female divisions and will see more than 180 participants competing for the champion’s title.

The championship is on the theme “Smart kids – use only non-violent solutions to problems”.

A total of nine countries are competing in the championship, deemed the biggest international championship to be hosted by the Maldives, to date. Teams from Maldives, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are competing. The Maldivian team comprises of 35 players.