National Sub-Junior Chess Championship 2026 Starts in Hyderabad

The National Sub-Junior Under-15 Chess Championships 2026 began in Hyderabad, with Jval Saurin Patel, Madhvendra Pratap Sharma and Prishita Gupta on 3/3.

India's National Sub-Junior Under-15 Chess Championships are under way in Hyderabad. The Open and Girls sections are both 11-round Swiss tournaments at a classical time control of 90 minutes per player plus 30 seconds per move. They run from 12 to 20 October.

After three rounds a large group of players have perfect scores. In the Open section they include top seed FM Jval Saurin Patel of Gujarat, FM Aarit Kapil of Delhi and FM Aadik Theophane Lenin of Kerala. Also on 3 out of 3 is FM Madhvendra Pratap Sharma, who won the National Under-13 title in Puducherry last month. He is now competing in an older age group and has started just as strongly.

Several players from outside the top seeds have also won all three games, including CM Divith Reddy Adulla of Telangana, who had a strong event at the Under-13 Championship too.

In the Girls section, top seed FM Prishita Gupta of Delhi has 3 out of 3, along with WFM Nivedita V C of Tamil Nadu, WFM Maitreyi Mondal of West Bengal and WCM Aadya Gowda of Karnataka, the runner-up at the Under-13 Girls Championship.

At this stage of a big Swiss event, many players have perfect scores. That will change quickly from round 4 onwards, when the leaders start playing each other. The early rounds are about building a good base. The later rounds are where titles are won.

It is encouraging to see young players moving up through the age groups and carrying their good form with them. Playing in an older age group is a great test. Opponents are more experienced, but it is also the best way to improve.

For students preparing for their own tournaments, notice how many of these players win with both colours and in different openings. A broad understanding of chess, rather than a few memorised lines, is what helps young players succeed at every level.

ChessDaily will report on the championships again as the event develops.