The World Junior Championship for under-20s used to be a vintage event. Its first two winners, Borislav Ivkov in 1951 and Oscar Panno in 1953, both went on to become world title candidates, while Boris Spassky, in 1955, later won the supreme crown, a double equalled by Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov and Vishy Anand.
The event was still a major target for aspiring talents in 1971, when the financier Jim Slater was helping England’s two best prospects – Tony Miles and Michael Stean – who looked capable of challenging for the world junior title. The regulations were strict: only one player per country, except for the host nation which was allowed two.
Slater agreed to sponsor half the cost, while Teesside provided a venue and financed the other half. England’s bid was opposed at the 1971 Fide congress by the Philippines, but the then British Chess Federation delegate Harry Golombek negotiated a compromise where England staged it in 1973, and the competition would then become annual with Manila 1974.
The principal rival for England’s duo was the USSR’s Alexander Belyavsky, but he had a weakness. Examination of the theoretical journal Shakhmatny Bulletin showed that he liked to use a rare Qe8 move in a Sicilian line where Stean was strong as White. The English junior was made aware of this in 1971, so had two years to prepare.
Came the day, and an unforeseen incident. Miles’s luggage was stolen at Middlesbrough station and his father had to drive up from Birmingham with replacements. Belyavsky took an early lead, but was pegged back by the Qe8 Sicilian and by Miles in his favourite Dragon.
At the end, Belyavsky took gold, Miles silver, and Stean bronze. Miles was unhappy and wanted revenge next year when he was still eligible. Slater agreed to pay for Bernard Cafferty to travel to Manila 1974, Miles trounced his Soviet rival, Alexander Kochiev, in the Sicilian Dragon, and the English Chess Explosion of the 70s and 80s was under way …
In the 21st century, the very best talents have often avoided the World Junior. Magnus Carlsen never played in it, nor did a host of other elite GMs. It still retains some status, but last week in Mexico City the host nation paid substantial fees to Fide to enter around 60 players in a field of 150. Their highest finisher was 39th, and most were in the bottom third.
In contrast, India had several promising talents who qualified for the World Junior by various routes but, despite herculean efforts, were denied visas to enter Mexico. The sorry affair is chronicled on Chessbase India.
France’s Marc Maurizzi, the 2023 champion, has the potential to become a real star. Still only 16, he was his country’s youngest grandmaster at 14. In Mexico, he scored an unbeaten 8.5/11, edged out Arseniy Nesterov of Russia and Luka Budisavljevic of Serbia on tiebreak, and won a fine early-round game showing deep understanding of the complex King’s Indian.
Hans Niemann, the top seed, finished eighth with 7.5/11. The controversial American, fresh from his legal settlement with Carlsen and chess.com, prepared himself in the preceding weeks by streaming, arguing with Vlad Kramnik over Titled Tuesday, and debating anal beads with Piers Morgan. Niemann may take a more serious approach to his next event, the US Championship, which has just begun in St Louis.
England’s Shreyas Royal scored 6.5/11 for a rating performance slightly under 2400. This is a good under-20 debut for a 14-year-old, but Royal, too, will have his eyes on the Grand Swiss and another chance for his second GM norm.
England’s youngest grandmaster Ravi Haria, 24, was outclassed by Carlsen’s subtle skills when they met on Monday in the Wood Green v Offerspill European Club Cup match at Durres, Albania.
3888: 1 Rxg7! Kxg7 2 Qf6+ wins. If 2...Kg8 3 Qxh6, or 2...Kf8 3 Bg6.
