8 juniors participate in the European Youth Chess Championships

8 junior players have ended their experience in the European Youth Chess Championships
held in Prague, Czech Republic.
Malta were represented in the Girls Under 12, 14 and 18 and Boys Under 10,12,14 and 18.
Malta Chess Federation Vice-President Noel Grima was the Head of Delegation.

In the Under 18 boys, Junior Champion Jack Mizzi achieved 3 wins and a draw. Most notable
was his win against Austria’s Kienboeck (rated 2203). He also achieved a draw against
Spain’s CM Gonzalez (rated 2196). Mizzi is expected to increase his rating by 24 points.

Malta had 2 players represented in the Under 14 boys category. Matthew Portelli achieved 2
wins and 2 draws against higher rated opponents. His wins were against Croatia’s Tadic
(rated 1877) and Czech Republic’s Komarek (rated 1855).
Isaac Grima Bongailas achieved 1 win and 3 draws. One of his draws was against Belgium’s
Battistelli (rated 2011). He won against Czech Republic’s Belocky.

In the Under 12 boys, John Refalo achieved 1 win and 2 draws. He beat Luxumborg’s Capun
and drew against Iceland and Czech Republic.

Reyansh Keshav achieved 2 wins and 3 draws. He beat Papadopoulos from Greece and
Lithuania’s Grybauskas.

In the Girl’s section, National Champion and Junior Champion Milena Stagno won 2 games
and drew 3 in the Under 18 girls. Her best result was a draw against Hungary’s Buri (rated
1946). She beat Austria’s Uprimny and Slovakia’s Zetocha. Having played all higher rated
opponents, Stagno increased her rating by an impressive 44 points.

In the Under 14 girls, Hayley Thornton won 2 games against Austrias Spangl and
Cypriot Angelidou.

In the under 12 girls, Yunlong Wang scored an impressive 4.5pts by winning 3 games and
drawing another 3. Wang achieved this score even though all her opponents were higher
rated. Wang whose rating is 1447 had a rating performance of 1615 and will increase her
rating by 77 points.

The Maltese delegation of financially assisted by SportMalta and the Malta Chess Federation.