At just eight years old, Iskander Zhakupov has earned a spot on the French national youth chess team. This fall, the Kazakhstani citizen will represent France at the World Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the European Championship in Budva, Montenegro. In France, non-citizen children can compete internationally under the national flag if they attend school in the country and are part of a chess club. For adults, however, citizenship is required.
Iskander’s first major tournament took place in 2021, when he entered the qualifying round of the French under-8 championship at just four years old, competing against children three or four years older. He competed in seven games, winning four, drawing one, and earning 4.5 points, which was enough to advance to the regional Ile-de-France Championship. As the youngest player to qualify, he received a special prize. At the time, he didn’t grasp the significance of the achievement. He was simply enjoying the game.
By age seven, Iskander had taken second place in the Ile-de-France tournament. In 2025, he became the French under-8 champion.
The 62nd French Junior Chess Championship was recently held in Vichy, drawing more than 1,800 young players from across the country. The under-8 and under-10 categories competed over five days, each playing nine intense rounds. In the final rounds, Iskander faced regional champions from all over France. He lost only one game, to a player who had earlier been defeated by someone Iskander had beaten. Both players finished with 8 points, and the outcome remained uncertain until the very end.
Iskander had been in a similar position before, when he took second place at the Ile-de-France Championship. This time, however, all of his previous opponents won their final matches, raising his Buchholz coefficient and securing him the championship title.
Of course, not every tournament has ended in victory. There have been tears, disappointments, and hard lessons. There have also been humorous moments, such as the time Iskander agreed to a draw without knowing what it meant, or when he gave up a winning position simply because his opponent politely asked, “Please?” (“Mama, she said s’il te plaît, so I said okay.”)
Each of these experiences has become part of his learning process, not only in chess but in life. Iskander’s mother believes his story can inspire both children and parents to start early without fear, to believe in a child’s potential, to support their passions, and to allow room for mistakes, learning, and growth. After all, chess is more than a game; it is a true school of life.
Meanwhile, TCA recently reported on the broader rise of Kazakhstan’s young chess stars. At last year’s Asian Youth Championship in Almaty, Kazakh players earned 12 gold, 8 silver, and 5 bronze medals across various age groups. Eight-year-old Alisha Bisaliyeva became world champion in rapid chess, and 13-year-old Ayaru Altynbek won the classical school world championship. Gold medals in classical chess at the World Cup also went to 8-year-old Rizat Ulan and 10-year-olds Nurali Bolashakov and Milana Filippova. At the 7th Western Asia Youth Championship in Kalutara, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan’s young players claimed nine gold medals across rapid, blitz, and classical formats.
