04/06/2025
11-year-old Luna Lu(鲁夏菡)from Auckland is thrilled to participate in the upcoming FIDE World Chess Cup later this month.
Born in Hangzhou, China, Luna moved to New Zealand at the age of two. She will join Sai Vivan Karthikeya Somaraju from India in competing at the FIDE World Chess Cup in Batumi, Georgia. The pair will take part in the Under-12 Open and Under-12 Girls divisions respectively.
Despite her relatively short chess journey, Luna has already secured numerous accolades. Notably, she ranked ninth at last year’s World Chess Cup in Georgia.
Her mother, Sandy Wen, expressed pride in Luna’s dedication: "Chess has always been a quiet yet wise guide, leading Luna to discover more possibilities in her growth journey."
Craig Hall, Secretary of the New Zealand Chess Federation, praised both Sai and Luna as "exceptional junior players with outstanding results in New Zealand championships". He added, "It’s a highly competitive field—finishing in the top 10 would be a remarkable achievement."
Best wishes for their success at the tournament! (photo cr: unsplash)