English Grandmaster Daniel Howard Fernandez emerged as the 2025 Commonwealth Chess Champion as the event concluded on Sunday, 16 November in Kuala Lumpur. Held at Corus KLCC Hotel from 8 to 17 November, the championship was organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation under the auspices of the Commonwealth Chess Association and FIDE, bringing world-class competition to the heart of Malaysia’s capital.
This year’s edition brought together 373 players from 17 countries, making it one of the most dynamic and internationally diverse instalments in recent years. The tournament offered a total prize fund of RM95,000 (approx. USD 22,900)—with RM85,000 allocated to the Standard Championship and RM10,000 to the Blitz event.
Howard delivered a composed and commanding performance throughout the tournament, securing the title with 7.5/9 points, concluding the final round with a draw against India’s FM Adireddy Arjun.
The race for the podium remained intense until the end, with four Indian players finishing on 7 points. On tiebreaks, FM Adireddy Arjun took silver, followed by GM Lalit Babu M R with bronze, while IM Neelash Saha and GM Deepan Chakkravarthy placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Category Highlights
The championship showcased a wide spectrum of categories across junior, women’s and senior divisions, highlighting both emerging talents and seasoned competitors. Each section delivered spirited games and memorable performances, reflecting the growing strength of chess across the Commonwealth.
Open Category Prizes
Women: An outstanding performance from India!
Gold – WGM Srija Seshadri (India) – missing photo as already going to the airport.
Silver – WGM Mary Ann Gomes (India)
Bronze – IM Nisha Mohota (India)
Under-20 Junior:
Gold – FM Goh Zi Han (Singapore)
Silver – Tashriq Saihan Shan (Bangladesh)
Bronze – AIM A’qil A’lauddin Bin Abd Aziz (Malaysia)
Under-20 Junior Girls:
Gold – WFM Sanudula K M Dahamdi (Sri Lanka)
Silver – Mrittika Mallick (India)
Bronze – Liew Tze Chi (Singapore)
Senior:
Gold – FM Ismail Ahmad (Malaysia)
Silver – DM John Mukabi (Kenya)
Bronze – IM Sekhar Chandra Sahu (India)
Open Youth Categories
Under-08:
Gold – Muhammad Aariz Daniel Bin Mohd Shah (Malaysia)
Silver – Prayank Gaonkar (India)
Bronze – Basnayake Kevon Dulkith (Sri Lanka)
Under-10:
Gold – CM Karunasena A P Chenitha Sihas Dinsara (Sri Lanka)
Silver – Parv H Hakani (India)
Bronze – Nidhish Shyamal (India)
Under-12:
Gold – CM Madhvendra Pratap Sharma (India) — with a perfect 9/9 points
Silver – AFM Aaradhya Suyog Bagul (Singapore)
Bronze – CM Wijerathna Vinuka Dihain (Sri Lanka)
Under-14:
Gold – AIM Adhiraj Mitra (India)
Silver – Wickramasinghe V W A Vinuda Vidmal (Sri Lanka)
Bronze – FM Reyan Md. (India)
Under-16:
Gold – IM Borgaonkar Akshay (India)
Silver – Induwara T H D Thisarindu (Sri Lanka)
Bronze – CM Velavaa Ragavesh (India)
Under-18:
Gold – IM Sriram Adarsh Uppala (India) — with a perfect 9/9 points
Silver – Borkhetariya Devarsh M (India)
Bronze – Lee Tsuen Jin Aiesec (Singapore)
Girls’ Youth Categories
Under-08 (Girls): Another clean sweep for India!
Gold – Anaya Sharma (India)
Silver – Anvi Deepak Hinge (India)
Bronze – Teesha Byadwal (India)
Under-10 (Girls):
Gold – Vanshika Rawat (India) — scored 8/9 points!
Silver – Maha A/P Nathan (Malaysia)
Bronze – Kiyanna Parihaar (India)
Under-12 (Girls):
Gold – WCM Divi Bijesh (India)
Silver – Liew Tze Yu (Singapore)
Bronze – Daniel Suria (Australia)
Under-14 (Girls):
Gold – Aditri Shome (India) — with 8.5/9 points!
Silver – De Silva B P Chanthuli Thanishka (Sri Lanka)
Bronze – WFM Saranya Devi Narahari (India)
Under-16 (Girls): India secures the podium once again!
Gold – FM Prishita Gupta (India)
Silver – Ananya Raman (India)
Bronze – Aswinika Mani R (India)
Under-18 (Girls):
Gold – Sagar Siya (India)
Silver – WCM Anupam M Sreekumar (India)
Bronze – WCM Omnia Binta Yusuf Lubaba (Bangladesh)
The championship concluded with a vibrant closing ceremony, with awards presented by Bharat Singh Chauhan, President of the Commonwealth Chess Association; Akhramsyah Muammar, President of the Malaysian Chess Federation; and Jerry Nash, Chairman of the FIDE Chess in Education Commission.
The 2025 edition not only celebrated outstanding individual achievements but also highlighted the growing depth of talent and competitive spirit among Commonwealth nations. This year’s event reinforced its status as a landmark festival of chess, fostering international friendship, cultural exchange, and sporting excellence.
The Malaysian Chess Federation extends its heartfelt appreciation to all players, heads of delegations, coaches, arbiters, volunteers, partners, and supporters who contributed to the success of this championship. We hope that your time in Kuala Lumpur was memorable, meaningful, and filled with new friendships and unforgettable moments.
We look forward to welcoming the Commonwealth chess family again in the future.
Full results are available on Chess-Results.
Follow the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025 and Commonwealth Chess Association Facebook pages for more updates, photos, and highlights.