This was my fourth time competing in the World Junior Chess Championship, held in Petrovac, Montenegro. I had previously participated in the tournament in Italy, Mexico, and India.
My journey to Montenegro was anything but smooth. I had to take three flights to get there! My first flight, from Dublin to Frankfurt, was at 5:00 AM. After that, I flew Frankfurt to Vienna and finally from Vienna to Podgorica. As you can imagine, I was completely sleep-deprived and spent most of the flights catching up on sleep.
Once I landed, the tournament organizers arranged a bus from the airport to Petrovac. Arriving in this coastal town felt nostalgic—I had played in the European Chess Championship here last year.
The tournament was originally scheduled to start on February 24, but due to severe weather conditions in Istanbul, many flights were canceled, delaying several participants. As a result the tournament was postponed to February 25.
The event featured a strong field in both the Open and Girls sections, with over 200 players competing. The top seed in the Girls’ section was IM Lu Miaoyi from China, while the Open section was led by GM Daniel Dardha from Belgium.
My Experience
Playing in Petrovac was an amazing experience—I gained valuable lessons, made new friends, and got to explore the town. It was also my first time traveling alone to an international tournament, which was both exciting and a learning experience.
As for my performance, I finished with 7/11, finishing in the top 20.
You can find more here: https://chess-results.com/tnr1123045.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=11&turdet=YES&flag=30
The tournament started off well for me, and I was feeling good until Round 4. Then came Round 5, where I was paired against WGM Rakshitta Ravi from India. Interestingly, I had played against her before in 2018 in Gujarat, India. Just like back then, I had the White pieces again.
I felt I had a nice position out of the opening and was building on it well. In the middlegame, I even had two central passed pawns—a dream position! Everything was going smoothly, and I even won a piece. But then, I made some inaccuracies, complicating things unnecessarily.
As time trouble hit, I started making rushed moves, and my advantage slipped away. Eventually, the game reached a rook and pawn endgame, where I forgot the drawing technique, misplayed, and lost.
I was extremely disappointed—it was frustrating to mess up such a promising position. But with half of the tournament still left, I knew I had to move on quickly and focus on the upcoming rounds.
And I did. I bounced back with wins in Round 6 and 7, a draw in Round 8, and another win in Round 9.
I was proud of my comeback after that tough loss in Round 5.
In the penultimate round I was paired against Orian Noga from Israel. I got into a difficult position where I was a pawn down, I waiting for a chance to equalise the position. After resisting a lot I got this one chance that missed to find.
After this game I really wanted to finish the tournament on a good note, and I won the last round against Umida Omonova from Uzbekistan.
It is always a nice feeling to finish the tournament with a win.
Scenic Views and Cherished Memories
With the first round postponed, we didn’t get a rest day, but we still managed to explore the city a bit.
My roommate, Cecilia, was just a few rating points away from earning her WIM title, and she achieved it in this tournament!
Eszter was really adventurous—she took us to some amazing tunnels, and at night, she would lead us to stargaze and admire the constellations.
The tournament was well-organized, and overall, it was a great experience. While I feel I could have performed better, I gained valuable lessons and truly enjoyed competing in such a strong field. I also had the opportunity to meet new people and make great friends along the way.
Next, Tarun and I will be competing in the European Championship in Romania, and we hope to perform well there!
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