Flash Report: 2024 North American Youth Championships Produce 26 Direct Titles, Two Norms

A host of junior players will be celebrating their new FIDE titles over the holidays, as the North American Youth Championships concluded earlier today in Dulles, Virginia. Organized by Capital Area Chess from December 18 through 23 — with the approval of US Chess, Confederation of Chess for America (CCA), and FIDE — the tournament was open to chess players with a FIDE flag from Mexico, USA, or Canada born on or after January 1, 2006.

The tournament consisted of 12 sections: Under-18 through Under-8 Open and Girls. In addition to medals, rating points, and bragging rights, players were also competing for direct titles and norms as specified in the FIDE regulations.

In total, 368 players competed, with 67 from Canada, 21 from Mexico, and the remaining 280 representing USA. Across all sections, 26 players won direct titles with two more earning norms (one IM, one WIM). American players earned all but three of these titles

Results from all sections are available on Chess-Results.com, and games from the top boards of each section can be replayed on lichess.org.

Under-18 Open

Gold: FM Aaron Reeve Mendes 7½/9 (CAN) automatic IM title

Silver: FM Donald Johnson 7/9

Bronze: CM Aditeya Das 6½/9 automatic FM title

Under-18 Girls

Gold: Jasmine Su wins 8/9, automatic WIM title

Silver: WCM Sophie Li 7/9 automatic WFM title

Bronze: WFM Laurie Qiu 6½/9

Under-16 Open

Gold: Ronen Wilson 7/9 earns an IM norm

Silver: FM Bryan Xie 7/9

Bronze: FM Henry Deng  6½/9

Under-16 Girls

Gold: WFM Erin Bian 6½/9, earns a WIM norm

Silver: WCM Gillian Xi-Lin Mok (CAN) 6/9

Bronze: Hema Vikas 6/9 automatic WCM title

Under-14 Open

Gold: CM Narayan Venkatesh, 7/9 automatic FM title

Silver: Alexander Sukhiashvili 7/9 automatic CM title

Bronze: Kevin Zhao 6½/9 automatic CM title

Under-14 Girls

Gold: WCM Laksshana Deepak 7½/9 (CAN) automatic WFM title

Silver: WCM Anais Chloe Fiest (CAN)  6½/9

Bronze: AFM Lily Jeanette Duarte Cramer (MEX) 6½/9 automatic WCM title

Under-12 Open

Gold: Ted Wang 8½/9 automatic FM title

Silver: Jashith Karthi 6½/9 automatic CM title

Bronze: Sharath Radhakrishnan 6/9

Under-12 Girls

Gold: WCM Aimee Yang 7/9 automatic WFM title

Silver: WCM Ashley Qian (CAN) 6½/9

Bronze: Lacey Wang 6½/9 automatic WCM title

Under-10 Open

Gold: Steven Liu 7½/9 automatic CM title

Silver: Oscar Zhang 7½/9 automatic CM title

Bronze: Matthew Yu 6½/9 automatic CM title

Under-10 Girls:

Gold: Ella Xinyue Zhang 7/9 automatic WCM title

Silver: Celine Chen 6½/9 automatic WCM title

Bronze: Grace Ofia Nuoyi Wang 6½/9 automatic WCM title

Under-8 Open

Gold: Grayson Xiang 6½/9 automatic CM title

Silver: Milo Su 6½/9 automatic CM title

Bronze: Winston Ruiying Chen 6/9 automatic CM title

Under-8 Girls:

Gold: Sarah Nguyen 8/9 automatic WCM title

Silver: Elizabeth Xia 7½/9 automatic WCM title

Bronze: Renae Chen 6/9 automatic WCM title