Four of them—Nicola Luppi, Dario Macia Tell, Jan Frisch, and Olaf Guzdziol—competed in the Under-14 World Championship in Montesilvano, Italy, while Nikolai Solovev and Gabriel Frisch represented Luxembourg in the Under-10 World Championship, and Luisa Frisch competed in the Girls Under-8 World Championship in Batumi, Georgia.
Both tournaments were extremely demanding. Over eleven consecutive rounds, the players faced games lasting four to five hours each, followed by around ninety minutes of daily preparation. The physical and mental effort required was enormous. The level of competition was exceptionally high, with many opponents training three or four hours every single day. Combined with our players' limited experience at World Championship level, they faced an enormous challenge.
Yet our Lions exceeded every expectation. They demonstrated resilience, fighting spirit, and determination throughout the tournaments, making everyone at Chess Lions Bertrange incredibly proud.
Nicola Luppi – Luxembourg U14 Champion
Making his debut with the Luxembourg national team at a World or European Championship, Nicola finished with 4.5/11 and a performance rating of 1778. His improvement over the past two years has been remarkable. Throughout the tournament he played with impressive consistency and maturity, proving that his hard work is paying off.
Dario Macia Tell – Luxembourg U14 Vice-Champion
Competing in his second World Championship, Dario showed significant progress compared to last year. He also scored 4.5/11, achieving a performance rating of 1745, approximately 60 rating points above his official Elo. His games reflected growing maturity, flexibility, and an excellent competitive mindset.
Olaf Guzdziol – Luxembourg U12 Champion
Although still eligible to compete in the Under-12 category, Olaf chose to challenge himself in the stronger Under-14 section. He was rewarded with an excellent 4.5/11 and a performance rating of 1702, finishing the tournament with a beautiful victory in the final round. He is a perfect example of how dedication and consistent hard work lead to steady improvement.
Jan Frisch – Luxembourg Category C Champion
After representing Luxembourg last year, Jan made his World Championship debut this season. He scored 3.5/11 with a performance rating of 1675. Always ready to fight until the very end, Jan has made remarkable progress over the past two months, and this tournament confirmed his continuous improvement.
Nikolai Solovev – Luxembourg U10 Champion
Despite being only ten years old, Nikolai is already the most experienced player in our delegation, having now participated in four consecutive World Youth Championships. He finished with 5.5/11 and a performance rating of 1630, slightly above his official rating. A naturally gifted player with outstanding calculation skills and quick decision-making, he continues to establish himself as one of Luxembourg's brightest young talents.
Gabriel Frisch
Gabriel made his World Championship debut in Batumi, where he demonstrated maturity, determination, and fighting spirit. He scored 2.5/11 with a performance rating of 1335, battling hard in every game against very strong opposition. The experience gained at this level will undoubtedly contribute to his future development.
Luisa Frisch – Luxembourg G8 Champion
Luisa also made her World Championship debut and delivered a very encouraging performance. She scored 3.5/11 with a performance rating of 1287. Full of enthusiasm and remarkably mature for her age, she has already shown excellent potential for the future.
Congratulations to all seven players for representing Chess Lions Bertrange and Luxembourg with such commitment, courage, and sportsmanship.
The journey continues. Next stop: Heraklion, Greece, where the European Youth Chess Championships await this November. We wish all of them the very best as they prepare for another unforgettable international experience.
