Registration Open for 2025 FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships

Editor's note: The event regulations for this event were released by FIDE on Thursday May 22, 2025.

Registration is now open for the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships 2025. The international event — organized by FIDE and the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the Department of Sports of the City of Almaty with support of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Kazakhstan — will be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan from September 18 through October 1, 2025.

US Chess will be accepting registrations for eligible U.S. participants until Friday, June 6. 

TOURNAMENT DETAILS AND ELIGIBILITY

There will be six sections: Open and Girls in age categories Under 12, Under 10, and Under 8.

A player's age as of Jan. 1, 2025 determines their age eligibility for a section.

• Under 12: Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2013
• Under 10: Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2015
• Under 8: Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2017

Each event will be an 11-round Swiss System tournament, using a time control of 90 minutes plus an addition of 30 seconds per move starting from move one.

Direct titles shall be awarded according to the FIDE regulations.

If a player is more than 30 minutes late, they forfeit the game.

The full schedule for all rounds can be viewed within the regulations document at https://www.fide.com/wp-content/uploads/WCCC-2025-Invitation.pdf 

REGISTRATION INFORMATION - DEADLINE IS June 6!

US Chess is accepting entries for eligible U.S. players until June 6, 2025. Interested and eligible U.S. players must register with US Chess to participate. No registrations will be accepted after June 6, 2025. The June 6 deadline is set to provide for administrative actions to meet the organizers' deadline, which is July 1.

REGISTRATION FORM: https://forms.gle/xGkoSooSDcFEryFg6

Upon completion of the registration form, US Chess will send an invoice which must be paid by the June 13, 2025, 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Please note, the following additional fees will be charged:

• Tournament registration fee - $160/player
• FIDE entry fee - $138/player
• Special accreditation fee for accompanying persons - $138/accompany person (without this accreditation you cannot access the playing venue or the free transport from the hotel to the venue)
• US Chess administrative fee - $400/player
• Accommodations (see below for rates)

Other fees for optional service may include:

• US Chess coaching fee - $1,400/player (optional)

All U.S. participants are required to having the following:

• A current US Chess membership, valid through the end of the tournament (October 2025)
• A U.S.A.-flagged FIDE ID. (If you do not currently have a FIDE ID, please complete our FIDE ID Request Form at https://forms.gle/fCCTis7WgtJEb2rv6

ACCOMMODATIONS

As per FIDE regulations, all players and accompanying persons must be accredited and stay at the official hotels of the event. All accommodations must be booked through US Chess at the time of registration.

Full board, 3 meals/ day with open buffet and water in rooms. The playing venue is between 1½ and 3 km away from the playing venue. US Chess will try for the 5* hotel, then 4* if they move the entire delegation, in the chart order. Below are the rates per person per night from September 18 through October 1. The rates are still valid two days before and after these dates, however, meals may differ, depending on the hotel and the number of people that are staying the extra days. 

Single (1 person) --- must be 18+, only for parents - $155/night

Double (2 people) - $138/person/night

Triple (3 people) - $126/person/night

COACHING

As part of our delegations to such events, US Chess offer virtual coaching, available to players who opted to receive such services. Any player opting to receive this service can sign up by opt-in on the registration form. The coaching fee is $1,400/player. Coaches will provide pre-game preparation and post-game analysis on an one-on-one basis.

TRAVEL WAIVERS

All players will be required to sign a waiver for participation before their entry into the tournament is confirmed. Please visit the USA State Departments Travel Advisory website for the latest information regarding traveling to Kazakhstan.
 

OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES AND PERSONAL RIGHTS PLAYERS

US Chess Federation is pleased to announce that six players have qualified as Official Representatives (OR) players for the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships 2025.

If an OR in an age category (listed below) declines to attend, then the highest rated player, according to the 2025 Invited Player List in that category, who is registered and fully paid with US Chess by June 13, 2025 5:00 p.m. CDT, will be considered the OR.

All OR and PR players who plan to attend must be registered and fully paid with US Chess by the June 13, 2025 deadline.

OR and PR players receive a travel stipend and free coaching, and are reimbursed for hotel, entry fees, and administrative fees. Travel and all fees for accompanying persons are the player’s responsibility.

Linxi Zhu (NY) - OR

Laurie Qiu (CA) - OR

Sasha Schaefer (NY) - OR

Abigail Zhou (NY) - OR

Mehmet Yilanli (OH) - OR

Emily Tang (IL) - OR

Personal Rights Players (PR):

The players placed first through third in the previous U12, U10, U8 World Cadet Championships, and the respective Champions of the last Continental Youth Championships (for this year, it was the 2024 Pan-American Youth Championship), shall have the personal right to participate in the World Cadet Championships of the corresponding age-category or a higher age-category if the age stipulation of Art. 2.1 above is met. Such players shall also be classified as Official Players and have to be registered by the national federation.

Aimee Yang - 2024 World Cadet Silver U10

Abigail Zhou - 2024 World Cadet Silver U8

Stella Xin - 2024 World Cadet Bronze U8

Patrick Liu - 2024 Pan-Am Youth U12 Gold

Sophie Li - 2024 Pan-Am Youth U12 Girls Gold

Vivan Mulay - 2024 Pan-Am Youth U10 Open Gold

Miranda Meng - 2024 Pan-Am Youth U10 Girls Gold

Aiden Li - 2024 Pan-Am Youth U8 Open Gold

Abigail Zhou - 2024 Pan-Am Youth U8 Girls Gold

<1st - 3rd place at the 2025 World Cup U8-U12>  - to be determined July 3

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Brian Yang, US Chess FIDE Events Manager at Click here to show email address.