Former Under-14 world champion and Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi clinched the bronze medal in the World Junior Chess Championship after settling for a quick draw with winner Yu Yangyi of China in the 13th and final round that concluded at Kocaeli, Turkey.
Gujrathi joined the list of elite Indians winning medals in the world junior champions starting from a gold medal won by world champion Viswanathan Anand in 1987, gold by Harikrishna in 2004, gold by Abhijeet Gupta in 2008 and bronze by Sahaj Grover in 2011.
With Yangyi winning the gold, the silver went to last year’s winner Alexander Ipatov of Turkey who defeated Aleksander Indjic of Serbia in the final round.
Yu Yangyi ended on 11 points from 13 rounds while Ipatov scored 10.5 in all.
Gujrathi was tied for the third spot along with Peruvian Grandmaster Jorge Cori and had the better tie break for his bronze.
Playing the black side of a Caro Kann, Gujrathi had little to do with black pieces as Yangyi was satisfied with a draw ensuring him the first place. On the second board, Ipatop played it tough and defeated Indjic in a one-sided affair. “It’s my best effort since winning the world under 14 a few years back,” said Gujrathi after his medal winning performance adding quickly that he wants to break into the 2600 ELO rating club soon.