The Kings & Queens Celebration Rapid Tournament             

Mata Restaurant at Limassol Marina recently played host to the Kings & Queens Celebration Rapid Tournament. Held on 18th February, chess enthusiasts gathered for a day filled with strategic chess brilliance.

A total of 34 young participants competed in the Open Category, as well as 6 under the age of 6. This incredible event, tailored specifically for children, was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Mata Restaurant and the renowned Shah Mat Masters Chess Academy.

Led by the guidance of Women’s FIDE Instructor Maria Anna Stefanidi, the Shah Mat Masters Chess Academy is on a mission to reveal the magic of chess to children across the island. With over 15 years training experience, the Academy is dedicated to making chess everyone’s game, away from the distraction of mobile phones or the internet.

 Following five rounds of fierce competition, the tournament champions emerged triumphant as follows: 

1. Open Category

•  1st place Oleksandr Markevych      
•  2nd place Antonis Picolos      
•  3rd place Maxim Netepenko      

2. Girls Category

•  1st place Rafaella Nicolaou      
•    2nd place Polina Revich      
•    3rd place Liudmila Malysheva      

3. U6 Category

•    1st place Lev Netepenko      
•    2nd place Maxim Lysenko      
•    3rd place Andrey Kozharskii     

In addition to the traditional tournament format, the Academy’s shining stars and Cyprus Youth’s finest, including Aida Paunescu, Daniil Daniil, Andreas Kyriakides, and Christodoulos Daniil, showcased their skills in the enthralling team-based chess game, The Bughouse.

The Kings & Queens Celebration Rapid Tournament at Mata Restaurant provided a platform for young chess enthusiasts to exhibit their skills. Thanks to the collaboration between Mata Restaurant and the Shah Mat Masters Chess Academy, children enjoyed a day filled with strategic gameplay and entertaining fun.