16-year-old chess player Anastasiya Obukhova won the Polish U20 Youth Championship and became the youngest participant in the senior individual championship held in Warsaw. The Belarusian's story was told by Onet, noted by the Most publication.
Anastasiya Obukhova. Photo: Facebook / PZSzach
Anastasiya is from Grodno. According to her, her family decided to leave Belarus due to the deteriorating situation in the country.
"We arrived in 2022 because the situation was becoming increasingly difficult and less predictable. My parents wanted a better future for us and understood that in Poland I would have more opportunities — both in life and in chess," she recounts.
According to her rating in Poland, the Belarusian holds the 47th place, but she managed to get into the top ten participants of the national championship thanks to her victory in the championship among female chess players under 20.
After moving, Anastasiya began her studies in Białystok, at school No. 45, which hosts one of the strongest chess clubs in the country — MUKS Stoczek. There she quickly adapted and began to show high results.
"When she joined us in the eighth grade, she was already stronger than most of her opponents. She quickly integrated into the team and studied well," says Leszek Zega, president of the club and the Podlasie Chess Union.
Even in Belarus, Anastasiya was a medalist in junior rapid chess championships, but due to the limited number of tournaments, her rating remained underestimated. Already in Poland, it began to grow rapidly — in the first months, she gained up to 145 points per month.
Now she represents Poland: she managed to obtain documents relatively quickly thanks to her Polish roots on her mother's side.
"I completed a three-month language course before moving and quickly adapted. It's harder for my parents: they have less practice with Polish at work," she says.
Anastasiya notes that one of the main differences between the countries for her has been the people.
"Białystok is very similar to Grodno, but people in Poland are friendlier. I feel more comfortable here," says the girl.
She has now given up regular school education and is studying under an individual program.
"School always seemed too slow to me. Now I can study independently and much faster. Thanks to this, I have more time for training," she explains.
At the Polish Championship, Obukhova took the last place but managed to draw with the reigning champion Klaudia Kulon. She considers her ability to calculate variations her strong suit.
"I wanted to get the most out of every game, but I'm playing here primarily for experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate, although perhaps it happened too early: I don't yet have the level to fully prove myself," says the young chess player.
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