International Gomoku Olympiad Summaries

The trial season for the International Gomoku Olympiad has ended.

The International Gomoku Olympiad took place for the first time this academic year. The event, which was still a trial season, was similar in structure and point system to the tournament series of the Estonian Mental Sports Olympiad.
The biggest difference was that instead of school grades, the competitors were divided by date of birth.
There were a total of 278 participants, from 67 schools across the country.

In Group C for the youngest, those born in 2010 and later, the 8-year-old Moscow talent Alexandr Pinsky won quite convincingly with 295 points.
Three Estonians made it into the top ten – 4th place was taken by Dmitri Kuzmin, a student from Haabersti Russian Gymnasium, with 270 points, 6th place was taken by Paul Johann Mere, a competitor from Tallinn Science School, with 265 points, and 9th place was taken by Sergo Saard from Jakob Westholmi Gymnasium with 256 points.

In the middle age group, among players born in 2006-2009, Russian competitor Mikhail Sidorov won with 292 placement points.
Among the Estonians, Tallinn Science School students Hendrik Tambla and Oskar Henrik Kundla participated in the high game with 267 points and 5th place and 266 points and 6th place, respectively.

The Russian player, Nikita Diachkov, also won the competition for the oldest students (born in 2002-2005) with 283 points.
The most successful Estonian was Oskar Mäns from Tallinn Lilleküla Gymnasium with 274 points and 4th place. Oliver Valk (Kahtla Kindergarten-Basic School) achieved 6th place with 267 points and Rasmus Ründva (Gustav Adolf Gymnasium) achieved 10th place with 250 points.
Considering the above, it is not surprising that Podjuga Secondary School from Russia took first place in the school rankings. Among Estonian schools, Kahtla Kindergarten-Basic School took an excellent 4th place, Tallinn Science School was 5th, Tallinn Nõmme Gymnasium was 8th, Saue Gymnasium was 9th and Emmaste Basic School was 10th.

Congratulations to the winners, thank you everyone for participating, and see you next academic year, when we expect a much larger group of participants!