SJC Cup 2025 witnesses a perfect checkmate from the Kazakhstan champion

The 2nd St. Joseph's College (SJC) International Chess Championship concluded after two days of fierce competition among 8 world-class chess champions, with Kazakhstan’s Abilmansur Abdilkhair crowned the champion with a perfect score.

Abilmansur concluded the competition with an impressive record of 14 straight victories in both the rapid and blitz chess categories during the final round of the competition on Sunday(Apr 13) noon.

Despite losing an exhibition match against the AI system DeepSeek, the thrilling battle earned praise from both spectators and participants.

Speaking to school reporters, the champion reflected on his first and sixth rounds performance on the opening day, which he described as his toughest challenge as he lost advantageous position before turning the tide. 

He credited his victory to his aggressive playing style, utilising pressure to overwhelm opponents.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Hoang Thi Bao Tram finished as the overall runner-up, ranking second in blitz chess and third in rapid chess. 

China’s Zhao Shengxin earned the overall third place by winning second place in rapid chess. Zhao voiced her dissatisfaction with her time management concerns and reluctance throughout the competition, recommending young players to practise tactics and gain experience by competing in Europe.

Despite acknowledging that his attention is dwindling with age, reigning champion Arvinder Preet Singh of India, who finished third in blitz chess this year, was thrilled with the results.