Schools from Turkey and India are in the lead after the second day of play

August, 05 2023

Two more rounds were played today at the FIDE World Schools Team Championship in Aktau.

Two teams are in the lead in the U18 section. Four match victories of Istanbul ENKA High School come as no surprise as Turkish players are the rating favourites of the event. So far, IM Isik Can and his peers have conceded only half a point to their opponents.

The same result from Velammal Vidyalaya Alapakkam, a school in Chennai, India, is even more impressive as they started 11th. The team made a tricky choice of putting their lowest-rated player, Santhosh V L, on the top board, and he has a tough time, but his teammates greatly compensate for that.

In the U12 category, the Indian squad of Velammal MHS Mogappair is in sole lead with four match wins. Tomorrow they will be put to serious test facing the National Physics & Mathematics School of Kazakhstan, trailing just one point behind.

Apart from creating chess masterpieces, the participants of the Championship continue exploring what Aktau has to offer. Today the players visited a local water park to refill their batteries and lift team spirits! The organizers prepared a diverse program of fun side activities so everyone would return home with lifetime memories.

Here are the top standings after Round 4.

Under 18:

1	TUR	Istanbul ENKA High School	8
2	IND	Velammal Vidyalaya Alapakkam, Chennai	8
3	PER	Saco Oliveros	7
4	KAZ	Republican School of Physics and Mathema	6
5	PAR	ABSE Escuela	6
6	GER	Gymnasium Theodorianum Paderborn	6
7	UZB	No 5 Xatirchi	6
8	MGL	Mongeni Complex School	6
9	ARM	Photon Gymnasium	6
10	AZE	Sumgayit city No-1 Secondary School name	6

Under 12:

1	IND	Velammal MHS Mogappair	8
2	KAZ	National Physics & Mathematics School	7
3	POL	Szkoła Podstawowa nr 48 im. Szarych Szer	6
4	KAZ	School of Astana, number 72	6
5	PER	Saco Oliveros	6
6	CAN	Silver Stream Public School	6
7	UKR	Lviv Academic Gymnasium	6