Road to be the Best Chess Player in the World!-Chapter 530: Land in Uzbekistan!

Tashkent, March 3rd 2023, 09:41 AM.

"Damn, I thought that Uzbekistan would be colder than Prague, what with this country being closer to Russia. Who would’ve thought that it is quite warm here?" Bagas stretched his body a little, taking a deep breath as he just gotten out of the plane. "Anyway, let’s have breakfast first!"

Sheva just nodded along, following his best friend from behind. There, they found a luxurious stall that sold Palov, the local food from the country, and without hesitation, both Sheva and Bagas went there and ordered something.

Normally, there was no way in hell they would order something in the airport’s restaurant. After all, it was common knowledge that everything was way more expensive there, and it was better to walk outside of the airport first to find something local. However, this time, it was a completely different case.

Not only were they hungry after flying for about 10 hours while only receiving a bunch of snacks in the middle of the trip, but the most important part was that Bagas called Mister Wahyu beforehand, and the man transferred more money into his account, knowing that Sheva was here in Uzbekistan due to his request.

The man was also being generous here, probably happy after seeing Sheva win the second tournament in the last two months. It was clear that, while he spent so much money in the past, the return on investment here was quite high, allowing his name to resound throughout the country as a wise man with great vision for talent.

"By the way," Bagas suddenly spoke, mouth full of food. "I haven’t seen the news yet, too focused on your journey. How are those kids faring here?"

A huge smile formed on Sheva’s face at that question. "Surprisingly enough, they have done well so far. Devi even leads her section, only needing one more draw to secure the trophy. As for Nayaka and Duta, their competition is harder, what with all the best players in this tournament gathering there. So, it is quite normal that they are still fighting, but based on their current position in the standings, I think we still have a chance to snatch the first place in the U17 section."

It wasn’t just him being boastful, because this was the reality that they enjoyed right now. It was the eighth round of the tournament this morning, and Devi was thriving in her section, having one of her feet on the finish line already.

In total, she managed to get 6 points from 5 wins and 2 draws, with the closest one only having 4.5 points. A draw was enough for her to secure the trophy, but if Sheva knew anything about the girl, she would still maintain her ambitious heart to earn more rating, knowing that the chance to play abroad wouldn’t come so easily for her.

Meanwhile, both Nayaka and Duta were still fighting, with the former sitting in second place while the latter was still climbing to fourth place in the U17 section. The competition was quite tight, though, with Nayaka having the same points as the third place, 5 points from 3 wins and 4 draws, while Duta followed behind with 4.5 points from 2 wins and 5 draws.

As for the current first place, the one who sat on the highest throne right now was the top-seeded of the tournament, the only one there who came with a title in front of his name. He was Alexander Khripachenko, the Russian FM with the rating of 2252, the common target for all the players in this tournament to beat.

However, after the tournament went this far, it was clear that the boy’s ability was not as scary as everyone initially thought. In total, Khripachenko had already earned 5.5 points so far, with 5 wins, 1 draw, and 1 defeat in his record. The most important part, though, was the one defeat the Russian boy suffered, because it was against the local boy with an ELO rating of 1658.

Khripachenko also became the only one out of the top four players who still fought for the trophy to have suffered from a defeat in this tournament, which only cemented the idea in everyone’s head that the boy was beatable.

"Hmm... And now, Nayaka is facing this Russian boy?" Bagas asked, seeing the pairing on his phone.

"Yeah, and it will be a decisive match. He can take a draw if he is not sure, but losing the game will basically throw away his chance to win the entire thing." Sheva nodded, answering the question while also scooping a spoonful of food into his mouth. "I watch that Russian boy’s game, and I have to say that, for the grassroots level, his playing style is quite annoying."

"Oh? How so?" Bagas asked, intrigued.

"Well, how should I say it... He really is the stereotype of a Russian player, moving precisely like a machine while also never taking the initiative to do anything to change the direction of the game. He always relies on a difficult endgame technique, trying to overwhelm his opponents with his fancy moves. Honestly, if it were me last year, I would be annoyed to hell if I had to play against him."

Bagas blinked several times, trying to make sure that he listened correctly. "You saying that you think so highly of him?" He asked, trying to make sure one more time that it was real.

"No, I am not thinking highly of him. I just said that his playing style is annoying, but if his opponent’s level is high enough, it is easier to get a draw against him. As for winning against him... Well, that’s the dark art of his game. This Khripachenko wouldn’t always aim for a win, but he would always leave a backdoor for himself to avoid defeat. A slippery opponent, he was." Sheva explained.

"Sounds like a difficult opponent for me." Bagas nodded, finally understanding the situation here. "So, do you think Nayaka will have a chance against him?" He asked.

For that, Sheva just grinned, answering, "Don’t worry, I have already told Nayaka about his opponent’s weakness, and coincidentally enough, Nayaka’s style is the best counter for that. If he didn’t make a mistake, he would be able to win the game."

-Author’s note-

Hey, everyone! Thank you for supporting my story! I have written a new one with the hope of getting a contract for that story as well, the title is ’The Rise of the Iron Wall!’. It is a football story, so if you like, please give your support by adding it to your collection and giving your power stone to that story! Thanks!