Manon draws in 1st round of World Junior Chess Championship

Bangladesh's national chess champion, Manon Reza, had to settle for a draw in the opening round of the World Under-20 Junior Chess Championship. The tournament, which began yesterday (Tuesday) in Petrovac, Montenegro, saw International Master Manon face Spain's Huncosa Padros, an unrated player with a FIDE rating of 2088. With a significantly higher rating of 2431, Manon was the clear favourite going into the match but ultimately had to share the point.  

Meanwhile, Bangladesh's other representative, FIDE Master Tahsin Tajwar Zia (rated 2323), received a walkover in the first round. His scheduled opponent, Montenegro's nine-year-old unrated player Rodavich Relja, did not turn up for the match, allowing Tahsin to claim a full point without playing.  

The 11-round Swiss League tournament commenced at 8 PM Bangladesh time and concluded at 3 AM. The second round is set to take place at the same time today.  

Winning the championship would earn a player the prestigious Grandmaster title directly, while the runner-up and third-placed competitors would be awarded the International Master title. Additionally, the tournament offers opportunities to achieve Grandmaster and International Master norms. Both Bangladeshi players are aiming to secure norms in what is their debut appearance at the World Junior Championship.