Five of the world’s brightest young chess talents gathered in Zagreb, Croatia, for the latest Kasparov Chess Foundation Young Stars Session, an extraordinary training experience held alongside the prestigious Grand Chess Tour.
The unique program gave participants the opportunity not only to receive elite-level instruction, but also to witness the world’s best players competing at one of chess’s premier events.
This year’s Young Stars participants included:
- 🇺🇦 Anastasia Hnatyshyn (Ukraine)
- 🇧🇪 Elias Ruzansky (Belgium)
- 🇦🇹 Peter Balint (Austria)
- 🏴 Bodhana Sivanandan (England)
- 🏴 Supatit Banerjee (England)
The training sessions were led by Garry Kasparov, with additional instruction from Kasparov Chess Foundation Executive Director Michael Khodarkovsky and Grandmaster Alexander Motylev. Over several intensive days, the students worked through advanced strategic concepts, game analysis, and practical exercises designed to sharpen their skills and deepen their understanding of the game.
The setting made the experience even more memorable. Between training sessions, the Young Stars followed the action at the Grand Chess Tour, observing many of the world’s leading grandmasters compete at the highest level. Several participants also had the opportunity to compete in Grand Chess Tour side events, putting their own skills to the test in an exciting tournament atmosphere.
The Young Stars program reflects the Kasparov Chess Foundation’s ongoing commitment to identifying and developing exceptional young talent from around the world. By combining world-class coaching with access to elite competition, the program provides experiences that inspire the next generation of chess champions.
The Kasparov Chess Foundation congratulates all five participants on their hard work and dedication and looks forward to following their continued success on the international stage. To see more from the session, check out Kasparov Chess Foundation on Facebook.