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Nare Isakhanyan won the silver medal in the Girls U12 category at the European Youth Chess Championships 2026.
The tournament was held in Hersonissos, on the Greek island of Crete, from November 3 to 12, 2026.
Two years ago, when Isakhanyan became a two-time Armenian champion, she told Armenpress in an interview that she wanted to achieve major successes on the international stage as well. She has fulfilled that promise, and, as her coaches attest, Nare has the potential to achieve even greater results in the future.
Isakhanyan, now a three-time Armenian champion (in the Under-8, Under-10 and Under-12 age groups) and a silver medalist in the Girls U12 category at the European Youth Chess Championships, spoke to Armenpress about the tournament in Greece and said she had prepared thoroughly for the European Championship.
“Two months before the tournament, once my participation had been confirmed, my coaches and I began preparing more intensively. We trained six times a week for two and a half hours each session, analyzing chess games online. I played games against my peers and solved various chess problems. We also gathered information about potential opponents and analyzed their games. During the championship itself, I played confidently and without tension,” Nare said.
She played nine games in Greece, winning seven, losing one and drawing one. Scoring 7.5 points out of a possible nine, she finished half a point behind the leader and took second place.
“I already knew my main competitors and had encountered them in previous tournaments. They represented Poland, France, Romania, Italy and England. I followed their games. At the most decisive stage of the tournament, I played against the representative of Poland. Everything was going well at first, but midway through the game I momentarily lost my concentration and gave up my advantage. I drew my game against the English competitor. I won all my remaining games,” Nare said.
Nare is already preparing for her next tournaments. The Yerevan Open Chess Championship will take place in December, while the European and World Championships in a higher age category are scheduled for next year.
Nare’s coach, FIDE Master Sargis Manukyan, said his student had performed very confidently at the European Championship.
“Nare was among the leaders from the very start of the tournament. However, she fell slightly behind during the competition. In one of her games, she had a winning position but failed to capitalize on her advantage, and the game ended in a draw. In the next round, she faced the future champion in a very important game. Unfortunately, that game did not go our way. But afterward, Nare regrouped, demonstrated determination, won all her remaining games and deservedly took second place. Her play was of such a high standard that winning the championship title was genuinely within her reach as well. Nare stood out for her very sound and mature play,” Manukyan said.
According to him, his student is mentally very strong and has great potential. The coach said he sincerely believes she has a bright future ahead of her and will undoubtedly become European champion.
“She just needs to continue working hard. She is a very talented child. Her success is also due in large part to the other coaches, International Grandmaster Artur Chibukhchyan and International Master Vahagn Khachatryan. The three of us worked together to support Nare, and we are confident that she will reach even greater heights in the future. Girls’ chess is quite different; girls are very emotional, but Nare has exceptionally strong fighting qualities. As she has grown older, she has become more mature and experienced, as her results demonstrate. Achieving such success on the international stage at the age of 12 is already a major accomplishment. Through hard work, Nare could one day become a member of our women’s national chess team. She simply needs to work hard and not be satisfied with what she has already achieved. Nare has all the prerequisites to become a strong grandmaster,” the coach said.
The European silver medalist has, naturally, brought the greatest joy to her parents and family.
“The journey that began five years ago was not simply a journey through chess. It was a journey of faith, patience, dedication and a big dream. Every step along the way involved hard work, love and boundless belief in one’s own abilities. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has stood by us over these five years. To the coaches, for their knowledge, patience, dedication and tireless work. To everyone who believed in our daughter, supported her and encouraged her. And most importantly, we are grateful to our daughter. Thank you for your hard work, strength of will, perseverance, for staying true to your dreams, and for teaching us that great achievements come to those who believe and work every day toward their dreams,” Nare’s father, Gevorg Isakhanyan, said.
He is confident that if chess players like Nare receive greater encouragement and more substantial state support, they will achieve even more significant results.