A young chess player from Millbrook Park CE Primary School in North London has won the Under 8 title at the 2026 Delancey UK Chess Challenge Terafinal, just two years after first learning how to play.
Sultan Sharkhanov finished with an impressive 9½ points from 11 games at Blenheim Palace, holding off a strong challenge from runner-up Martin Tate Yap, who finished just half a point behind.
The Terafinal, held on 17–18 October, is the culmination of the Delancey UK Chess Challenge, the UK’s largest chess competition for children. Around 20,000 children take part each year, progressing through regional qualifying tournaments in the hope of reaching the national final. Just 60 players qualify for the Terafinal, with 12 competing in each of five age groups. Each finalist faces every other player in their section over 11 rounds across two days.
Sultan made a remarkable start to the competition, winning his first seven games to establish himself as the player to beat in the Under 8 section. His winning run finally came to an end in round eight, when he lost to Khoa Nguyen, leaving the championship still very much in contention.
He responded by scoring 2½ points from his remaining three games, enough to finish ahead of Martin Tate Yap on 9 points, with Hansen Ji taking third place on 8.
It was another impressive result for a boy whose chess career has developed at considerable speed.
Sultan first learnt the basic moves around two years ago and only began competing in tournaments approximately a year ago. Since then, he has established himself as one of the country’s strongest players in his age group.
Earlier this year, he finished joint first at the London Junior Chess Championships, came second at the English Youth Championship and won the EJCOA National Youth Finals with a perfect score. He also won his section at the Southern Gigafinal to earn his place at Blenheim Palace.
Despite those achievements, Sultan’s family say it is the enjoyment of the game that keeps him coming back. He particularly likes discovering new tactics and finding unexpected possibilities during a game. Chess has also introduced him to plenty of new friends, many of whom he now meets regularly at tournaments.
Away from the chessboard, Sultan is a keen football fan who enjoys both playing and watching the sport.
Qualifying for the Terafinal had already been a significant achievement for him. His family said he was thrilled to be among the country’s top 12 Under 8 players and was determined to give his best against such strong opposition.
He can now add the national Terafinal title to his growing collection of chess achievements.
Sarah Longson, Chief Executive of the Delancey UK Chess Challenge, said:
“Sultan was outstanding throughout the weekend. Winning your first seven games against this standard of opposition is very difficult, and he showed real composure after his first defeat to make sure he finished the job.
“What’s particularly striking is how quickly he has progressed. He has only been playing competitive chess for about a year, yet he’s already achieving these results against some exceptionally talented young players.
“Every child who reaches the Terafinal has come through a demanding qualification process, and the Under 8 section is always fiercely contested. Sultan should be very proud of what he’s achieved.”
The 2026 Terafinal also marked the end of Delancey’s longstanding sponsorship of the UK Chess Challenge. Delancey has supported the competition for many years, helping hundreds of thousands of children across the UK discover and enjoy competitive chess. The UK Chess Challenge is enormously grateful for Delancey’s generosity and commitment to junior chess, which has played an important part in the competition’s success.
