Pranav Venkatesh dominates 8th Salamanca Chess Festival 2025 Cradle of Modern Chess

by Shahid Ahmed - 26/10/2025

The reigning World Junior 2025 champion, GM Pranav Venkatesh won 8th Salamanca Chess Festival 2025 with a round to spare. Former World Champion, GM Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR) was the only one who had chances of stopping his momentum. However, in their rematch, he could not seize his advantage, allowing Pranav once again to get the upper hand and win the game. Pranav won the next two games to become the champion 9.5/10, finishing a whopping 1.5 points ahead of the runner-up, Ponomariov. WGM Nadya Toncheva (BUL) scored an impressive 5/10 to finish third. Pranav had an eight-game winning streak at this event. Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

Pranav clinches the tournament with a round to spare and eight-game winning streak

"Good evening to all. This is my first time here in Salamanca. It has been a really good tournament for me and also the place. It's a very historical place. I really like the city and I hope to be back next year." - GM Pranav Venkatesh shared a short and sweet message at the closing ceremony. The tournament was organized by Universidad de Salamanca at Centro Internacional del Español - Edificio Banco de España (Salamanca), the 'Cradle of Modern Chess' in Salamanca, Spain.

Champion - GM Pranav Venkatesh 9.5/10 | Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

Runner-up - GM Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR) 8/10 | Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

Second Runner-up - WGM Nadya Toncheva (BUL) 5/10 | Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

Round 8: Ponomariov - Pranav: 0-1

Just like the first game, the former World Champion, GM Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR, 2635) misplayed in an advantageous position and tables turned in favor of GM Pranav Venkatesh (2563).

Position after 31...Qe7

32.Rdc1 would have given White the upper hand. Instead, 32.Qa3? d4 33.Bxa8 d3 34.Rxd3 Rxd3 gave Black the decisive advantage and he went on to win the game.

GM Pranav Venkatesh won also the rematch against GM Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR) | Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

IM Sabrina Vega Gutierrez (ESP) - IM Sara Khadem (ESP): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

Round 9: Pranav - Nadya: 1-0

GM Pranav Venkatesh (2563) won the rematch against WGM Nadya Toncheva (BUL, 2257) comfortably. This win made him the champion of the event with a round to spare.

GM Pranav Venkatesh won the tournament after his ninth round win over WGM Nadya Toncheva (BUL) | Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

Round 10: Julio - Pranav: 0-1

Any result in the last round would have made GM Pranav Venkatesh (2563) a clear champion, still he went on to win against GM Julio E Granda Zuniga (PER, 2624).

GM Pranav Venkatesh en route his final round victory over GM Julio E Granda Zuniga (PER) | Photo: Universidad de Salamanca. Comunicación Alumni - USAL

Replay live stream

Replay 8th Salamanca Chess Festival 2025 Round 8-10 Live Commentary | Video: Alumni - USAL

Closing ceremony | Video: Alumni - USAL

Format

The tournament will be held in a six-player double round-robin format. The time control will be 30 minutes + 5 seconds increment and it will be rapid rating event.

Schedule

Round 1-3 took place on 22nd October at 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time, 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. IST. On Thursday 23rd October, there was only one game. Round 4 will take place at 12:30 p.m. local time, 4 p.m. IST. Round 5-7 occurred on 25th October at 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time, 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. IST. Round 8-10 were held on 26th October at 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time, 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. IST.

Replay Round 8-10 games

Round 8-10 results

Round 8 on 2025/10/25 at 16:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	6	2624	GM	Granda Zuniga, Julio E	0 - 1	WGM	Toncheva, Nadya	2332	2	PGN
2	1	2635	GM	Ponomariov, Ruslan	0 - 1	GM	Pranav, V	2641	3	PGN
3	5	2362	IM	Vega Gutierrez, Sabrina	½ - ½	IM	Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat	2444	4	PGN
Round 9 on 2025/10/25 at 17:30
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	5	2362	IM	Vega Gutierrez, Sabrina	0 - 1	GM	Granda Zuniga, Julio E	2624	6	PGN
2	4	2444	IM	Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat	0 - 1	GM	Ponomariov, Ruslan	2635	1	PGN
3	3	2641	GM	Pranav, V	1 - 0	WGM	Toncheva, Nadya	2332	2	PGN
Round 10 on 2025/10/25 at 19:00
Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	6	2624	GM	Granda Zuniga, Julio E	0 - 1	GM	Pranav, V	2641	3	PGN
2	2	2332	WGM	Toncheva, Nadya	1 - 0	IM	Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat	2444	4	PGN
3	1	2635	GM	Ponomariov, Ruslan	1 - 0	IM	Vega Gutierrez, Sabrina	2362	5	PGN

Details

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB2	TB3
1	3	GM	Pranav, V	IND	2641	9,5	9	40,25
2	1	GM	Ponomariov, Ruslan	UKR	2635	8	8	25,00
3	2	WGM	Toncheva, Nadya	BUL	2332	5	4	12,50
4	4	IM	Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat	ESP	2444	3,5	2	8,50
5	6	GM	Granda Zuniga, Julio E	PER	2624	2,5	2	4,75
6	5	IM	Vega Gutierrez, Sabrina	ESP	2362	1,5	0	9,00

Details

Links

Tournament Regulations

Salamanca Chess: Official site, fb page, twitter and instagram

Festival Internacional de Ajedrez Salamanca: twitter and instagram

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