Six exciting rounds have been played at the FIDE World Junior Chess Championship in Petrovac, Montenegro. Due to the decision to start the championship one day later, participants have played every day without a rest day.
After six rounds, GM Venkatesh Pranav (IND, 2602; pictured below) leads the open section with 5.5 points. The Indian GM is closely followed by GM Yahli Sokolovsky (ISR, 2552), IM Adar Tarhan (TUR, 2460), and Meng Yihan (CHN, 2412), who all have 5 points. The tournament’s top seed, GM Daniel Dardha (BEL, 2652), is in a large group of players with 4.5 points.
In the women’s section, four players are tied at the top after six rounds: WIM Ayan Allahverdiyeva (AZE, 2284; pictured below), WIM Umida Omonova (UZB, 2228), WFM Keseria Mgeladze (GEO, 2219), and WFM Mariya Yakimova (FIDE, 2201;)—all with 5 points.
They are followed by a group of six players with 4.5 points.
Notably, the Fujairah Chess Club has announced that the winners in both categories will receive free accommodation and covered travel expenses for the 1st Fujairah Global Chess Championship, set to take place from August 25 to September 2, 2025. This was announced by the club’s Vice President, Mr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Zaabi, who also made the ceremonial first move in the sixth round.
Here are two interesting games of played in Rounds 3 and 4, with brief commentaries.
Chasin,Nico (2415) – Pranav,V (2615) [D20]
World Junior Chess Championship (3.1), 27.02.2025
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 e5 4.Bxc4 Nc6 5.Nf3 e4 6.Nfd2 Qg5 Black has chosen a very agressive, but risky line. 7.Nxe4 Qxg2 8.Ng3 Qh3 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.e4 10.Qb3!? should be considered as well.
10…Bg4 11.f3? The risky strategy pays off. One wrong move is all it takes for Black to take over the initiative. 11.Qa4 was the correct response, with better prospects for White.
11…0–0–0! 12.Be3? 12.fxg4 Nxd4 13.Bf1 Qh4 14.Be3 Bc5 seems quite dangerous for White, but it was probably the best hope for survival. 12…Bc5! From this moment on, the pressure on White position just keeps growing. 13.Bd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Bd6 15.Kf2 Be6 16.Nc3
16…f5! The end is near. 17.Bg5 Rd7 18.d5 f4 19.Nge2 Bc5+ 20.Ke1 Qg2 21.Rf1 Bh3 Facing huge material losses, White resigned. 0–1
(2032) Kaldarova,Ayaulum (2248) – Nurman,Alua (2336) [A34]
World Junior Chess Championship (4.3), 28.02.2025
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 e5 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bg2 d4 We see another ultra-agressive, but risky set-up for Black. 9.Bxc6+ Bd7 10.Bxa8 Qxa8 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.cxd5 Qxd5 Objectively, Black might not have full compensation, but it’s quite easy to go wrong as White in such a position.
13.f3 Bc5 14.Qd3 0–0 15.a3? And one mistake is again all it takes. 15.Bd2 was a much better option.
15…f5! White is already in big trouble. 16.e4? This only helps Black, but the correct 16.b3 e4 17.fxe4 fxe4 18.Qc4 Qxc4 19.bxc4 e3 was also difficult for White. 16…fxe4 17.fxe4 Qb7 18.Bd2 Kh8 19.a4 Bh3 20.Rg1 Qxb2? Complicating things. The simple 20…Qf7 would finish the game quickly.
21.Rb1? But White returns the favour. She could’ve forced the Queen exchange with 21.Qb1, keeping good chances to hold. 21…Qa2 22.g4 Qf7 The Queen has finally found the right square, and it’s all over now.
23.Kd1 Qf2 24.Qxh3 Qxg1+ 25.Be1 Bb6 26.Qh4 Qe3 27.Qg3 Qxe4 28.Rb3 Rc8 0–1
Photos: Mitar Djukanovic
Official website: https://worldjunior2025.sahcg.me/