Oceania Youth Chess Championships 2026 Draws 223 Players to Christchurch

Oceania Youth 2026 in Christchurch

The 2026 Oceania Youth Chess Championships were held from 9 to 13 April at the Town Hall in Christchurch, New Zealand. The event brought together 223 junior players from five federations across Oceania and featured 14 tournaments across Open and Girls sections from U8 to U20.

The championships were run over nine rounds under the New Zealand Chess Federation, the Oceania Chess Confederation, and FIDE, with support from the FIDE Development Fund. The event page noted that the Christchurch Marathon overlapped with the same weekend, adding extra activity around the venue.

Results

In the Open U12-U20 section, IM Felix Xie of New Zealand won the title with 7.5/9. FM Jayden Ooi of Australia and FM Yifei Hu of Australia finished next, also on 7.5/9.

In the Open U8-U10 section, Liu Chuyang of New Zealand took first place with 7.5/9. Michael Bazanov and Aaron Prince, both from New Zealand, finished second and third on 6.5/9.

In the Girls U8-U20 section, WFM Alaina Vincent of Australia won with 7/9. Emily Gan of New Zealand finished second on 6.5/9, while WCM Sarah Sun of New Zealand placed third, also on 6.5/9.

Event overview

The tournament attracted a strong field from New Zealand and Australia, alongside players from other Oceania federations. It provided a major junior championship platform across the region, with separate sections for Open and Girls in each age group from Under 8 through Under 20.