Eight-year-old Henrik Šauva wins world draughts title

Eight-year-old Henrik Šauva, a pupil at Baldone Secondary School, has become a world draughts champion in his age group. LSM, citing Zemgale Regional Television, reported that classmates welcomed him back to school with a song, hugs and his favorite chocolate.

Šauva won the under-eight title at last week’s World Youth Draughts Championship in China. He said the game requires endurance and described it as a world where white and black pieces fight each other.

He first became interested in draughts at the age of five. Family friends who played the game noticed his ability and suggested that he start training. He began learning strategy at the Baloži draughts centre.

His coach, Viesturs Vizulis, said Šauva had shown strong spatial thinking from an early age and could clearly anticipate what would happen next.

Šauva played nine games at the championship, describing all of them as difficult. He said the matches against Mongolian players were the toughest, and that he also played competitors from Taiwan and Hong Kong.