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Pranav Venkatesh, 20, wins World Junior Blitz title for India in Al Ain

Indian Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh scored 10.5 from 13 rounds to win the FIDE World Junior Blitz Championship in the UAE, adding gold to his earlier rapid silver.

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A young chess player moves a piece on a board during a blitz game at a tournament hall.
Image: The Times of India

Indian chess has a new world champion. Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh, just 20, has won the Open section of the FIDE World Junior Blitz Championship in Al Ain, UAE.

Pranav scored 10.5 points from 13 rounds and finished a full point clear of his closest rivals. That is a comfortable margin in a format where games are over in minutes and one slip can cost you.

The blitz gold comes on top of the silver he won earlier at the World Junior Rapid event, so he leaves the UAE with two medals.

If the name rings a bell, it should. Pranav became India's 99th grandmaster in 2024, when he earned the GM title.

There was also news from the Girls section. India's Aamuktha Guntaka finished fifth, while Savitha Shri placed seventh.

#chess#pranav venkatesh#blitz#fide#india#al ain
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Pranav Venkatesh wins World Junior Blitz title · 2 updates

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  1. Pranav Venkatesh becomes India's 75th chess grandmaster at age 15
  2. Pranav Venkatesh, 20, wins World Junior Blitz title for India in Al Ain

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