World Youth Chess Championship

The World Youth Chess Championship is a FIDE-organized worldwide chess competition for boys and girls under the age of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.

History Twelve world champions are crowned every year. Since 2015 (OR 2016), the event has been split into "World Cadets Chess Championship" (categories U8, U10 and U12) and "World Youth Chess Championship" (categories U14, U16 and U18).

The championship is usually held in a single city, although on several occasions, the Under-16 championship was separated from the Under-18 championship (in 1990, 1991, 1995, and 1997). In 1988, the U18 championship was held in Aguadilla, and the others in Timișoara.

The Under-16 (Cadet) category is the oldest of the championships. It was unofficially created in 1974 in France for players under 17 and was recognized in 1977 (or 1976) by the International Chess Federation as the World Cadet Championship. The maximum age was later reduced to under 16, effective 1 January of the year of the championship. The first FIDE-sanctioned women's championship was held in 1981.

The under-14 championship was inaugurated in 1979, and the under-eight championship in 2006.

Ages U18: Since 1987 U16: Cadets 1974 - 1980 / Since 1981 U14: World Infant Cup 1979-1984 / Since 1985 U12: Since 1986 U10: Since 1986 U08: Since 2006

Editions Standard (Classic) # Year Type Host country EventsUnofficial U18 Boys Cadets - 1974 U18 B 1 - 1975 U18 B 1U17 Boys Cadets - 1976 U17 B 1 - 1977 U17 B 1 - 1978 U17 B 1 U17 Boys Cadets + U14 Boys World Infant Cup - 1979 U17 B + U14 B - 2 - 1980 U17 B + U14 B - 2U14 Boys World Infant Cup + U16 B / G - 1981 U14 B + U16 B / G - 3 - 1982 U16 B 1 - 1983 U16 B 1 - 1984 U14 B + U16 B / G - 3World Youth Chess Championship 1 1985 U14 U16 - 4 2 1986 U10 U12 U14 U16 - 8 3 1987 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 10 4 1988 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 10 5 1989 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 6 1990 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 10 7 1991 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 10 8 1992 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 9 1993 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 10 1994 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 11 1995 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 12 1996 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 13 1997 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 10 14 1998 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 15 1999 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 16 2000 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 17 2001 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 18 2002 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 19 2003 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 20 2004 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 21 2005 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 10 22 2006 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 23 2007 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 24 2008 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 25 2009 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 26 2010 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 27 2011 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 28 2012 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 29 2013 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 30 2014 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12 31 2015 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 12World Cadets Chess Championship (U08 U10 U12) + World Youth Chess Championship (U14, U16 and U18) 32 2016 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 33 2017 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 34 2018 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 35 2019 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 36 2020 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 Not held 0 37 2021 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 Not held 0 38 2022 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 39 2023 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 40 2024 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 41 2025 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12 42 2026 U08 U10 U12 U14 U16 U18 - 12

Rapid & Blitz Since 2017 World Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship (FIDE World Cadet & Youth Rapid & Blitz Championships)

1st FIDE World Cadets Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2017, Minsk, Belarus, 1 - 5 June.

Cadets World Cadets Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2017, Minsk, Belarus World Cadets Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2018, Minsk, Belarus World Cadets Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2019, Minsk, Belarus World Cadets Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2020, Online World Cadets Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2021, Online World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2022, Rhodes, Greece World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2023, Batumi, Georgia World Cadets Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2024, Durres, Albania World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2025, Rhodes, Greece World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2026, Banja, Serbia

Youth World Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2017, Crete, Greece World Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2018, Halkidiki, Greece World Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2019, Salobreña, Granada, Spain World Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2020, Online World Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2021, Online World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2022, Rhodes, Greece World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2023, Batumi, Georgia World Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2024, Terme Čatež, Slovenia World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2025, Rhodes, Greece World Cadets & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2026, Banja, Serbia

World Youth U16 Chess Olympiads (Youth Team) 2001-2017:

World Youth U16 Chess Olympiads

(World Youth Y16 Olympiad | Children's Olympiads )

no. host city year 1st 2nd 3rd system boards teams players games PGN

FIDE World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2025 Barranquilla, Colombia

2024 not held

FIDE Word Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2023 Eindhoven, the Netherlands

FIDE Word Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2022 Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan

2021 not held

FIDE Word Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2019 Corum, Turkey

FIDE Word Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2018 Konya, Turkey

16. Ahmedabad View tournament crosstable India 2017 RUS IND IRI S-9 4 30 147 508 PGN

15. Poprad View tournament crosstable Slovakia 2016 IRI RUS ARM S-9 4 54 261 972 PGN

14. Ulaanbaatar View tournament crosstable Mongolia 2015 IRI IND RUS S-10 4 35 165 680 PGN

13. Győr View tournament crosstable Hungary 2014 IND RUS IRI S-10 4 54 256 1,076 PGN

12. Chongqing View tournament crosstable China 2013 IND RUS TUR S-10 4 72 332 1,440 PGN

11. Istanbul View tournament crosstable Turkey 2012 RUS IRI IND S-10 4 39 189 760 PGN

10. Kocaeli View tournament crosstable Turkey 2011 RUS ARM IRI S-10 4 26 120 520 PGN

9. Burdur View tournament crosstable Turkey 2010 ARM IND RUS S-10 4 22 99 440 PGN

8. Akhisar View tournament crosstable Turkey 2009 RUS IND ARM S-10 4 22 101 440 PGN

7. Mersin View tournament crosstable Turkey 2008 IND RUS PHI S-10 4 26 117 520 PGN

6. Singapore View tournament crosstable Singapore 2007 IND HUN PHI S-10 4 34 151 680 PGN

5. Ağrı View tournament crosstable Turkey 2006 UKR GEO CHN S-10 4 24 107 480 PGN

- Chennai India 2005 Cancelled.

4. Calicut View tournament crosstable India 2004 CHN HUN UZB S-9 4 20 91 360 PGN

3. Denizili View tournament crosstable Turkey 2003 HUN UKR IRI S-10 4 24 113 448 PGN

2. Kuala Lumpur View tournament crosstable Malaysia 2002 CHN UKR INA S-10 4 28 131 560 PGN

1. Batatais View tournament crosstable Brazil 2001 SWE BRA RSA RR 4 8 38 112 PGN

- Viborg View tournament crosstable Denmark 1979 ENG SWE SCO PO+4S+4Q 4 16 79 224 PGN

1993-2007:OlimpBase :: the encyclopaedia of team chess

Children's Chess Olympiads

(World Youth Y16 Olympiad | Children's Olympiads )

no. host city year 1st 2nd 3rd system boards teams players games PGN

8. Artek View tournament crosstable Ukraine 2000 RUS UKR AZE S-9 4 28 132 504 PGN

7. Artek View tournament crosstable Ukraine 1999 UKR GEO CHN S-9 4 30 137 528 PGN

6. Istanbul Turkey 1998 ARM UKR GEO S-9 4 26 N/A ?468 PGN

5. Belgrade Yugoslavia 1997 RUS ROM UKR S-7 4 18 N/A 252 N/A

4. Sutomore Yugoslavia 1996 ROM HUN RUS S-9 4 18 N/A N/A N/A

3. Canaries View tournament crosstable Spain 1995 ISL HUN GEO S-7 4 22 97 308 PGN

2. St. Andrew's Malta 1994 RUS GRE HUN S-7 4 28 N/A N/A PGN

1. Linares Spain 1993 RUS GEO RUS3 S-13 4 28 N/A ?728 PGN

International Children's Chess Games (organized by Mr. Bjelica) no. host city year 1st 2nd 3rd

system boards teams players games PGN

12. Novi Sad Serbia 2007 HUN SRB SVK S-9 ind. 24 85 378 PGN

11. Novi Sad Serbia 2006 TUR SRB ROM VOJ S-9 ind. 24 102 444 PGN

10. Novi Sad Serbia & Montenegro 2005 RUS SCG ROM S-9 ind. 23 88 383 PGN

9. Banja Luka Bosnia & Herzegovina 2003 RUS 2 11

1.-8. From Linares 1993 to Artek 2000.

Under-18 winners Year Location Boys Girls 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Online 2021Online 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Cadets and Under-16 winners

Unofficial U18 Cadets {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year !! Location !! Boys |- | 1974 || || |- | 1975 || ||

Official U17 Cadets {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year !! Location !! Boys |- | 1976 || || |- | 1977 || || |- | 1978 || || |- | 1979 || || |- | 1980 || ||

Under-16 {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year !! Location !! Boys !! Girls |- | 1981 || (†) || || |- | 1982 || || || not held |- | 1983 || || || not held |- | 1984 || || || |- | 1985 || || || |- | 1986 || || || |- | 1987 || || || |- | 1988 || || || |- | 1989 || || || |- | 1990 || || || |- | 1991 || || || |- | 1992 || || || |- | 1993 || || || |- | 1994 || || || |- | 1995 || || || |- | 1996 || || || |- | 1997 || || || |- | 1998 || || || |- | 1999 || || || |- | 2000 || || || |- | 2001 || || ||

| 2002 || || || |- | 2003 || || || |- | 2004 || || ||

| 2005 || || || |- | 2006 || || || |- | 2007 || || || |- | 2008 || || ||

| 2009 || || || |- | 2010 || || || |- | 2011 || || || |- | 2012 || || || |- | 2013 || || || |- | 2014 || || || |- | 2015 || || || |- | 2016 || || || |- | 2017 || || || |- | 2018 || || || |- | 2019 || || || |- | 2020 |Online

| 2021 |Online

| 2022 || || || |- | 2023 || || || |- | 2024 || || || |- | 2025 || || || |- | 2026 || || || |} (†) The girls tournament was held separately, in Westergate, England.

Under-14 winners

World Infant Cup {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year !! Location !! Boys |- | 1979 || || |- | 1980 || || |- | 1981 || || |- | 1984 || ||

Boys & Girls {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year !! Location !! Boys !! Girls |- | 1985 || || || |- | 1986 || || || |- | 1987 || || || |- | 1988 || || || |- | 1989 || || || |- | 1990 || || || |- | 1991 || || || |- | 1992 || || || |- | 1993 || || || |- | 1994 || || || |- | 1995 || || || |- | 1996 || || || |- | 1997 || || || |- | 1998 || || || |- | 1999 || || || |- | 2000 || || || |- | 2001 || || ||

| 2002 || || || |- | 2003 || || || |- | 2004 || || ||

| 2005 || || || |- | 2006 || || || |- | 2007 || || || |- | 2008 || || ||

| 2009 || || || |- | 2010 || || || |- | 2011 || || || |- | 2012 || || || |- | 2013 || || || |- | 2014 || || || |- | 2015 || || || |- | 2016 || || || |- | 2017 || || || |- | 2018 || || || |- | 2019 || || || |- | 2020 |Online

| 2021 |Online

| 2022 || || || |- | 2023 || || || |- | 2024 || || || |- | 2025 || || || |- | 2026 || || ||

Under-12 winners {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year !! Location !! Open !! Girls |- | 1986 || || || |- | 1987 || || || |- | 1988 || || || |- | 1989 || || || |- | 1990 || || || |- | 1991 || || || |- | 1992 || || || |- | 1993 || || || |- | 1994 || || || |- | 1995 || || || |- | 1996 || || || |- | 1997 || || || |- | 1998 || || || |- | 1999 || || || |- | 2000 || || || |- | 2001 || || ||

| 2002 || || || |- | 2003 || || || |- | 2004 || || ||

| 2005 || || || |- | 2006 || || || |- | 2007 || || || |- | 2008 || || ||

| 2009 || || || |- | 2010 || || || |- | 2011 || || || |- | 2012 || || || |- | 2013 || || || |- | 2014 || || || |- | 2015 || || || |- | 2016 || || || |- | 2017 || || || |- | 2018 || || || |- | 2019 || || || |- | 2020 |Online

| 2021 |Online

| 2022 || || || |- | 2023 || || || |- | 2024 || || || |- | 2025 |||| ||

Under-10 winners {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year !! Location !! Boys !! Girls |- | 1986 || || || |- | 1987 || || || |- | 1988 || ||

| 1989 || || || |- | 1990 || || || |- | 1991 || || || |- | 1992 || || || |- | 1993 || || || |- | 1994 || || || |- | 1995 || || || |- | 1996 || || || |-