We visited the “Bosoo Noyon” club to meet G.Tenguundalai, a ninth-grade student at the Erdmiin Urgoo School in Bayangol District and a World Chess Federation master, as well as discussed his achievements. He has been training under the guidance of coach E.Enkhnar for the past three years. The club, known for its many continental and world medalists, has played a significant role in his development. At the end of last month, G.Tenguundalai won a bronze medal in the blitz category at the World Youth Chess Championship held in Florianopolis, Brazil. He also competed in the first round of the reasoning competition and became the world champion. After returning from Brazil, he participated in the tournament named after N.Namjil, the former president of the Asian Chess Federation, international arbiter, and Mongolian champion. G.Tenguundalai won the 18-and-under men’s category at this event.
I have had the opportunity to speak with many chess players, but this is the first time I’ve encountered someone with such a unique name. Could you tell me the story behind your name?
My name might sound unusual to some, especially for those who hear it for the first time. It was given to me by my grandfather, and I’m proud to carry it. Being called G.Tenguundalai at continental and world competitions as a Mongolian athlete is truly an honor. I had the opportunity to compete in the World Youth Championships for the first time alongside fellow Mongolian athletes. Over the past year, I tested my skills at several major events, including the World Youth Championships in Greece, the Asian Youth Championships in Uzbekistan, and the Asian Youth Championships in Kazakhstan. In each of these tournaments, I was fortunate enough to come away with medals, which has been a great achievement for me.
Athletes typically prepare both physically and mentally the day before a competition, making sure they’re ready for the challenges ahead. Given your experience in many international tournaments, I’m sure you’re quite accustomed to this preparation process. How do you personally prepare yourself before a major competition?
Four Mongolian athletes competed in the tournament under the guidance of coach Ts.Batsaikhan, representing our country. As for me, having participated in many international tournaments, I wasn’t too nervous. I approached the game with a calm mindset, just as I do during training. I believe that my communication with my club coach on the days of the tournament, where we discussed my performance, played a key role in my success. Before the tournament, the coach gave me some valuable advice, “Focus on your game and keep your mentality calm. The most important thing is that your game should be of high quality.” Over the past three years of training under his guidance, I’ve learned to maintain a steady and composed mentality throughout the competition. This mindset has allowed me to approach each tournament with the same calmness and focus I had when I first started.
Each country sends its top athletes to the World Championship, so it must be an exciting opportunity to compete alongside some of the best. Did you have the chance to meet any athletes from previous tournaments during this one as well?
Brazil was the fourth country I’ve visited for a chess competition. At the World Junior Championships, I played 11 games. In my first game, I faced a player from Luxembourg. Typically, I feel more confident when playing with the white pieces, but in this case, I played with black. The opponent didn’t seem to be playing very well, so I was able to win quickly. In my next match, I faced a player from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He didn’t seem to be any stronger than my previous opponent, so I won easily and continued on in the tournament. The third game was more challenging. I played against a Norwegian chess player who was a year younger than me. He made very strong moves and ultimately defeated me. It turned out to be the longest game I’ve ever played, lasting five hours. The reason I lost was a calculation error on my part, which proved costly in such a lengthy and intense match.
It must have been an impressive achievement to defeat a Brazilian athlete on his home turf in the fourth round. How did you feel about that victory, especially given the added pressure of playing in his home country?
Yes, in the fourth round, I was holding my position well when I defeated my opponent and moved on to face the Colombian player in the fifth round. As the game approached the end, he started moving quickly and made a mistake. I was able to capitalize on that and secure the win. However, in the sixth round, I faced a new challenge. I noticed that my opponent, the Colombian player, was mentally unstable and not playing as steadily as before. I could see in his eyes and on his face that he was feeling the pressure. At that point, I focused on staying calm and patient, waiting for him to make another mistake. Eventually, my strategy worked, and I was able to achieve my goal and win the match.
As you progress in any competition, the climb often gets steeper, and the challenges become more intense. How do you handle this progression when facing stronger opponents?
In the eighth round, I faced the best Polish player, Pawel Sowinski. We both had six wins, one draw, and one loss at that point. From his moves, it was clear he had a lot of experience from participating in many tournaments. He was ranked first in the standings, but I managed to defeat him, and he ended up in fifth place. He was visibly shocked by the loss and seemed on the verge of tears. My coach had studied his games and given me advice on which moves to play, which helped me maintain the upper hand. It was a satisfying victory, especially considering his experience and ranking.
In the ninth round, I played against Dinh Nho Kiet from Vietnam. I found his playing style quite boring and slow. His thinking was so methodical that each move felt drawn out, and it became mentally exhausting. We ended up drawing the game. I had a chance to win, but I got a bit distracted, thinking ahead to the next match, and moved too quickly, losing my focus for a moment. For the tenth round, I started against another Polish player, Patrick Szyslak, who had six wins, two draws and one loss. After studying his results, I learned that he was ranked in the top three, so I knew it would be a tough match.
It sounds like the athlete from China was a tough opponent in the final round. Could you walk us through your match against him?
We had never met before, so we didn’t know each other’s playing style. However, I quickly noticed from his moves that Patrick Szyslak was an aggressive and strategic player, always looking for opportunities to attack. Our game lasted for four hours, and we ended up drawing. There’s a saying, “The last camel’s burden is heavy”. For me, this was a crucial match - one that could determine whether I would finish the tournament with a win or a loss. I knew it could make or break my overall performance. At that moment, I felt confident that I would finish the tournament on a high note. But what does it really mean to always win? In chess, it’s about more than just points - it’s about progress, learning from both mistakes and successes. When I tied with him and looked at his face, I noticed his expression change; he seemed surprised and perhaps frustrated.
When the tournament ended, I finished with six wins, two losses and three draws. Even though the tournament was intense, I didn’t realize how tired I was until I stood up from the table at the end of the final game. To recover, I would go for a short walk in the evening, speak with my parents and my coach, and take some time to refresh my mind. Brazil is 11 hours ahead of Mongolia, so the tournament, which took place in the morning there, was live-streamed in Mongolia in the evening. I learned that people back home watched my first four matches live. After that, they kept in touch with me and received updates on my progress. It felt great to know that my friends, family and supporters were following my journey.
Who was the first person to teach you how to play chess, and how did they influence your journey in the game?
I learned to play chess at the age of six. I first watched my father play, and it was then that I suddenly realized I wanted to be a chess player myself. My first chess teacher was D.Bold, the coach of the “Sergelen Khuu” club. After studying under his guidance for two months, I decided to switch to coach Ch.Badral to further improve my skills. I continued to play and train for five years, during which I won several medals in domestic competitions. This year, I won the National Championship for the first time and qualified for the Junior World Chess Championship. In the final round of the championship, I lost to D.Dashnyam, but by then it was clear that I had secured my position as the leader of the tournament.
Throughout my career, I’ve played against several notable contemporaries in major domestic competitions, including G.Zev from Baganuur District, B.Yeruultei from the “Khan Altai” club, and B.Duurenkhishig from Ikh Zargach club. While we’re not close friends, we’ve faced each other multiple times and have developed a good understanding of each other’s playing styles.
Congratulations on winning the first World Chess Championship! How does it feel to reach this milestone in your career, and what does this victory mean to you personally?
Although I didn’t win the standard event at the World Junior Chess Championship, I achieved first place in the inaugural Chess Logic Competition, becoming the world champion in that category. This competition is set to be held as a tradition in the future. In the event, we were required to solve eight problems in 90 minutes, but I completed them in just 47 minutes, making me the fastest among all the athletes. The country where the competition took place left the best impression on me. Last year, the World Student Chess Championship was also held there, set in beautiful natural surroundings by the beach. The athletes really enjoyed the location, and the experience was unforgettable.
Do you ever find it challenging to train every day, especially with the demands of balancing school, competitions, and personal life?
No. On the contrary, I find it all quite interesting and fulfilling. I’m really grateful that my family supports me in achieving my goals. As the youngest son in the family, I’ve always felt their encouragement, and it means a lot to me. My sister is a teacher, and she also plays an important role in motivating me. Since athletes are responsible for their own expenses when participating in competitions, my parents sometimes have to take out loans to help cover the costs. Despite the financial challenges, their support has been unwavering.
I trained under the guidance of coach E.Enkhnar, who helped me improve my skills significantly over the years. Thanks to her mentorship, I’ve been able to win medals at both continental and world competitions. In just three years, I’ve competed in four major international tournaments. Among my achievements, I won a silver medal at the World Student Chess Championships held in Greece last year. Then, I went on to win the standard, blitz, and rapid events at the Asian Student Championships in Uzbekistan, where I was crowned the continental champion. At the Asian Junior Championships in Kazakhstan, I played twice against the host country’s top player, Edgar Mamedov, in the standard event. I won one game and lost the other, both of which were highly competitive and memorable experiences.
How proud and supportive are your classmates of your success?
In addition to my parents, I’m fortunate to have the understanding and support of my class teacher and colleagues. My teacher, who is always supportive, even collects money for the class fund and encourages my classmates to help with the expenses of my participation in foreign competitions. This kind of support means a lot to me. Since I typically participate in continental and world competitions for at least a week, it can be a bit challenging to catch up on my studies when I return. Missing a week of school means I have to work hard to make up for the lessons I’ve missed, but I’m grateful that my teacher and classmates help me stay on track. Their understanding helps reduce the pressure, allowing me to focus both on my chess career and my education.
How much do you draw from the tactics of chess greats in your own training and competition strategy? Are there any specific games or techniques that have influenced your style?
I don’t like to study my opponents too much before a tournament. Instead, I prefer to play based on my own instincts and adjust my moves according to how my opponent is playing during the game. Of course, I’ve had both wins and losses, but that’s part of the journey in chess. There are several strong players in our club, and among them is L.Sumiya, who won a bronze medal at the World Student Championship in Greece. She is a great inspiration to me. As for myself, I hold the title of World Chess Federation Master. This title is awarded when a player wins international and continental tournaments and achieves a foreign rating of 2,100 or higher. Currently, my foreign rating is 2,190, and my domestic rating is 2,180, which reflects the progress I’ve made over the years.
