THE BIGGEST MATCH OF THE YEAR! Yakut spirit – Belarusian steel 6:2

On May 19, 2026, at 7:15 p.m. Yakutsk time (+6 hours behind Moscow), the Match of the Year took place between two stunning and charming young women: Sandaara Aprosimova and Victoria Nikolaeva. The match was broadcast live on the “Live Broadcast – NVK ‘Sakha’” channel. Please note:

Sandaara Aprosimova (Yakutia) — reigning WORLD champion

Victoria Nikolaeva (Belarus) — reigning EUROPEAN champion

Commentating on the match — legends of world draughts!

Gavril Kolesov — 12-time world champion (64-square checkers)
Nikolai Struchkov — 5-time world champion (64-square checkers)
Matrena Nogovitsyna — 5-time world champion (100-square checkers)

From an interview with Sandaara Aprosimova in 2024:

Sandaara, which draughts players would you single out as your main competitors in tournaments?
– Every player in the tournament is my competitor, since everyone is playing to win.
Do you have any opponents you find particularly challenging? How do you prepare to play against them?
– I don’t dwell on that. I can say that everyone has their own playing style, so it’s impossible to study everyone’s game. That’s what makes playing against new people so interesting.
Do you enjoy playing more at youth championships or adult championships and world cups?
– I love playing checkers and solving problems. That’s why I enjoy every tournament; for me, every game is exciting and special, whether it’s Russian checkers or 100-square checkers.

Sandaara Aprosimova is 19 years old; she is a sophomore at the M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University Institute of Physical Education and Sports. The athlete has been playing checkers since childhood under the guidance of coach Ivan Pavlov. While still in school, she won all kinds of championships in Yakutia, Russia, Europe, and the world in various age categories.

From an interview with Viktoria Nikolaeva in 2022:

Viktoria Nikolaeva, undisputed world draughts champion:
For me, draughts is a part of my life; it’s practically a separate world in which I live. I can no longer imagine my life without it. After unsuccessful competitions or simply results I didn’t like, I’d feel the urge to quit draughts, but it was very short-lived. After that, everything was forgotten; I just moved on, striving for new results and achievements.

In addition to talent, you need determination, perseverance, and a strong work ethic. It’s no secret that if you want to achieve something, you have to work hard. That’s why it’s so important to analyze every game and, of course, seek inspiration and focus solely on success.

Victoria Nikolaeva – a third-year student in the Department of International Relations at BSU