The 2025 World Junior Chess Championships, for players aged 20 or yougner, took place from 26 February to 7 March in Petrovac, Montenegro. The event saw participation from nearly 260 players representing 67 countries.

More glory for Indian chess

Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh emerged victorious in the open section, securing the gold medal with an unbeaten score of 9/11. His performance rating for the tournament stood at 2721, earning him 13.3 Elo rating points. A draw in the final round against FIDE Master Matic Lavrencic (Slovenia) was enough to confirm his first-place finish.

FM Lavrencic, with a score of 8½/11, claimed the silver medal. He was joined on the podium by GM Elham Amar (Norway), who also scored 8½/11 but finished third on tiebreak criteria.

Pranav, who was the second seed going into the event, remained undefeated, securing seven wins along the way. His most significant victory came in the seventh round against fourth seed International Master Yahli Sokolovsky from Israel. At this stage, Pranav already led the standings by a full point and maintained his advantage until the end of the competition.

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This victory further solidifies Pranav's reputation as a rising talent. Just a few months earlier, in December 2024, he had won double gold at the World Youth Under-18 Open Rapid and Blitz in Slovenia. His latest success in the classical format demonstrates his versatility as a player.

Based on past regulations, his triumph in Petrovac is likely to grant him a place in the upcoming FIDE World Cup. Additionally, he may receive an invitation to compete in the Tata Steel Challengers tournament in 2026, following the precedent set by previous champions GM Kazybek Nogerbek (Kazakhstan) and IM Divya Deshmukh (India).

Silver - FM Matic Lavrencic (SLO) 8½/11, Gold - GM Pranav Venkatesh 9/11 and Bronze - GM Elham Amar (NOR) 8½/11 | Photo: Mitar Djukanovic

Final standings

...157 players

All available games

Shukhman wins five in a row to grab gold

The girls' tournament saw Woman International Master Anna Shukhman take gold with a score of 9/11. She recovered from an early setback in the second round, where she lost with the white pieces to 14^th seed WIM Ayan Allahverdiyeva (Azerbaijan). After six rounds, Shukhman was trailing the leaders by a full point, but she mounted an impressive comeback, winning her last five games in succession to secure outright victory.

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WIM Ayan Allahverdiyeva and IM Miaoyi Lu (China) finished on 8/11, with Allahverdiyeva taking silver on tiebreaks and Lu securing the bronze medal. Shukhman, who competed under the FIDE flag, recorded a 2488 Tournament Performance Rating. Her success propelled her to fourth place in the live rankings for girls, sitting behind only Divya Deshmukh, Lu Miaoyi, and Zsoka Gaal.

Silver - WIM Ayan Allahverdiyeva (AZE) 8/11, Gold - WIM Anna Shukhman 9/11 and Bronze - IM Lu Miaoyi (CHN) 8/11 | Photo: Mitar Djukanovic

Final standings

...98 players

All available games

Links

• Official website
• Full technical information on Chess-Results: Open | Girls