Karthikeyan Murali and Pranesh M dominate Serbian First League 2025 for ŠK Jelica Pep - Goračići

by Shahid Ahmed - 13/10/2025

GM Karthikeyan Murali and GM Pranesh M scored an unbeaten 8/10 and 8/11 to ensure his team ŠK Jelica Pep - Goračići win the Serbian First League 2025 Open. The team scored an unbeaten 31/33 to become the champion. They finished a whopping six points ahead of the rest. The defending champion, ZMAJ - Belgrade scored 25/33 to secure second place. GM Aditya Mittal and GM Bharath Subramaniyam H contributed a crucial 7/11 and 7/10 each respectively. Bharath remained undefeated. Radnik - Surdulica scored 21/33 to finish third. In the Women, Crvena Zvezda - Beograd and Jugovic - Kać scored an identical 26/33 each. They secured first and second place according to tie-breaks. Part and Glory - Pirot scored 23/33 to finish third. WIM Sarayu Velpula was the sole Indian in the team. She scored 5/10. Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

Aditya Mittal and Bharath Subramaniyam second for ZMAJ - Belgrade, Sarayu Velpula third for Part and Glory - Pirot in Women

There were four Indians in Open and Women's event each. GM Karthikeyan Murali, GM Pranesh M, GM Aditya Mittal and GM Bharath Subramaniyam H gained 14.7, 8.6, 1.9 and 7.9 Elo rating points respectively. Among the Women, only IM Savitha Shri B increased her Elo rating by 15 points.

Champion in Open - ŠK Jelica Pep - Goračići 31/33 | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

Runner-up - ZMAJ - Belgrade 25/33 | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

Second Runner-up - Radnik - Surdulica 21/33 | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

Two of the top-rated players of ŠK Jelica Pep - Goračići, GM Karthikeyan Murali (2669) and GM Pranesh M (2611) lived up to the expectations. They scored an unbeaten 8/10 and 8/11 each, becoming the top scorers of the team.

Individual performances of Jelica Pep - Goračići

Karthikeyan - Indjic, Round 8

Position after 41...g6

Karthikeyan found a nice practical idea 42.Na7 Kd8 43.Nc6+ Bxc6 44.dxc6 Re7?? 45.Rxe7 Kxe7 46.h4 and White converted the winning pawn endgame comfortably.

GM Karthikeyan Murali played fantastic positional chess to win against GM Aleksandar Indjic in Round 8 | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

GM Karthikeyan Murali scored an unbeaten 8/10, performed at 2791 and gained 14.7 Elo rating points

Pranesh - Aditya Mittal, Round 11

Position after 34.h5

Both GM Pranesh M (2611) and GM Aditya Mittal (2589) launched an attack on their opponent's king. 34.h5 cxb2 35.h6+ Kf7 36.e4 Qc3 37.Rf1 Rc8 38.Bd1 Rc4 39.d6 Ke6 40.d7 Nxd7 41.Bg4+ Ke7 42.Qf7+ and White won the game in the next few moves.

GM Pranesh M defeated compatriot GM Aditya Mittal in the final round to score a crucial win which helped his team Jelica Pep to win the tournament and finish six points ahead of the rest| Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

GM Pranesh M scored an unbeaten 8/11, performed at 2675 and increased his Elo rating by 8.6 points

Champion in Women - Crvena Zvezda - Beograd 26/33 | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

Runner-up - Jugovic - Kac 26/33 | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

Second Runner-up - Part and Glory - Pirot 23/33 | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

Inaugural first move made by ŠSS president Andrija Jorgic and president of Bajina Bašta municipality Milenko Ordagic | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

The tournament hall at Hotel Zepter Drina in Bajina Bašta, Serbia | Photo: Šahovski savez Srbije

A total of 12 teams took part in a round-robin tournament. Only six out of 6-9 could play in each round. The tournament took place at Hotel Zepter Drina in Bajina Bašta, Serbia from 27th September to 7th October 2024. The time control was 40 moves in 90 minutes+ 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move.

Replay all available games in Open

Replay all available games in Women

Final standings in Open

Rk.	SNo	Team	Games	+	=	-	TB1	TB2
1	4	JELICA PEP – Goračići	11	10	1	0	31	42
2	8	ZMAJ - Belgrade	11	8	1	2	25	41
3	3	RADNIK - Surdulica	11	6	3	2	21	38,5
4	7	RUDAR - Kostolac	11	5	4	2	19	36
5	5	DEC – DEC	11	5	2	4	17	37,5
6	11	NAFTAGAS - Elemir	11	5	2	4	17	37
7	12	CRVENA ZVEZDA - Beograd	11	4	2	5	14	35
8	6	PTT - Beograd	11	3	3	5	12	35
9	9	POŽEGA - Požega	11	3	3	5	12	29
10	1	NOVOSADSKI ŠK – Novi Sad	11	3	1	7	10	30,5
11	10	JUGOVIĆ - Kać	11	2	2	7	8	27,5
12	2	SLOVEN - Ruma	11	0	0	11	0	7

Details

Final standings in Women

Rk.	SNo	Team	Games	+	=	-	TB1	TB2
1	5	CRVENA ZVEZDA – Beograd	11	8	2	1	26	28,5
2	4	JUGOVIĆ – Kać	11	8	2	1	26	27
3	3	PART AND GLORY - Pirot	11	7	2	2	23	27,5
4	8	SIRMIUM – Sremska Mitrovica	11	5	4	2	19	25,5
5	9	RUDAR – Kostolac	11	5	2	4	17	24,5
6	7	OŠK PARAĆIN Outpost chess - Paraćin	11	4	3	4	15	21,5
7	12	MIRIJEVO – Belgrade	11	4	2	5	14	22
8	10	ZLATAR – Nova Varosh	11	4	2	5	14	20,5
9	2	DShK FOUNDED – Niš	11	4	2	5	14	19,5
10	6	WORK - RADNIČKI - Belgrade	11	4	1	6	13	22,5
11	1	MLADOST - Lučani	11	1	1	9	4	16
12	11	KRALJ - Belgrade	11	0	1	10	1	9