Byblos Bank Armenia sponsors 13-year-old Gabriela Harutyunyan in prestigious chess tournaments
13-year-old Gabriela Harutyunyan will participate in the European Youth Chess Championship for the second consecutive year, again with sponsorship from Byblos Bank Armenia. She will also make her debut at the Abu Dhabi Chess Festival.
The young chess player has earned a spot in the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship as well after becoming the absolute champion of Armenia among girls under 14 in 2025.
According to Hayk Stepanyan, CEO of Byblos Bank Armenia, the Bank takes its responsibility to support talented young people very seriously.
“Playing on the international stage is an invaluable experience for any chess player. Participating in international competitions from an early age not only hones an athlete’s skills but also builds their confidence. We hope that Byblos Bank Armenia’s support will help Gabriela improve her rating and achieve new championship titles,” said Hayk Stepanyan.
Gabriela has been playing chess since the age of 5. She has achieved impressive victories in numerous tournaments, including winning the championship titles in the Yerevan U10 Girls’ Championship, the Armenian U10, U12, and U14 Girls’ Championships, as well as securing fourth place in the European U10 Girls’ Championship.
Gabriela’s participation in prestigious tournaments is a significant milestone in her chess career and a key component of the Bank’s educational corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The 2025 European Youth Chess Championship will take place from October 28 to November 8 in Budva, Montenegro, while the 31st Abu Dhabi Chess Festival is scheduled for August 15 to 24. From August 5 to 12, Gabriela will compete in the M. Botvinnik Memorial Open in Moscow, which brings together champions from CIS countries in the U14 category.
Earlier, from June 16 to 21, she participated in an online masterclass led by Grandmaster and FIDE Senior Coach Melikset Khachiyan, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Chess Team.
Join us in wishing Gabriela Harutyunyan the best of luck, as she represents Armenia in these upcoming chess tournaments․
