VRNJACKA-BANJA, Serbia — Nine-year-old Marc Barceló of Tarragona, Spain, added a silver medal to his growing collection at the World Youth Chess Championships on Thursday, finishing second in the Under-10 Blitz event just three days after capturing gold in the Rapid category.
The young Spaniard’s double-medal performance — gold in Rapid, silver in Blitz — marks one of the most impressive individual showings by a player his age in recent memory at the biennial tournament organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
Barceló scored 9.5 points out of 11 possible in the Blitz section, falling only to Indian prodigy Pranav V., who went undefeated with 10.5 points to claim the title. The Spaniard lost just one game — in round seven to Pranav — and drew his other encounter with the Indian in round three.
“I was really happy with how I played in Rapid,” Barceló said in a post-match interview with the Serbian Chess Federation’s official broadcast. “Blitz is faster, harder to control, but I stayed calm and played my game. Silver is great, but I’ll keep working to get that gold next time.”
The achievement continues a breakthrough year for the Catalan talent, who earned the title of FIDE Master (FM) earlier in 2024 after crossing the 2300 Elo threshold. His performance in Serbia has already pushed his live rating above 2400, placing him among the top 100 players globally in the Under-12 category despite being eligible for U-10.
Barceló’s success in Vrnjacka-Banja follows a strong showing at the European Youth Chess Championships in August, where he won bronze in the U-10 Rapid and finished fourth in Blitz. His back-to-back medals in Serbia represent a significant step forward in his development.
The tournament, held from November 18 to 28 at the Spa &. Sports Center in Vrnjacka-Banja, attracted over 1,500 players from more than 100 countries across age groups from U-8 to U-18. The Blitz and Rapid events are separate disciplines with distinct time controls: Blitz gives each player three minutes plus two seconds per move, while Rapid allows 15 minutes with a 10-second increment.
“Marc has an extraordinary ability to calculate quickly and maintain focus under pressure,” said his long-time coach, Josep Maria Puig, speaking via video call from Barcelona. “What stands out isn’t just his talent — it’s his discipline. He studies every day, reviews his games, and never gets too high or too low. That mindset is what’s carrying him forward.”
Spain’s delegation finished the championships with six medals including Barceló’s two. Teammate Carla Méndez won gold in the U-10 Girls’ Rapid, while Daniel Roque took silver in U-12 Blitz.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich praised the young competitors during the closing ceremony, noting the rising global standard in youth chess. “We’re seeing players like Marc Barceló emerge at younger ages with deeper understanding and stronger nerves,” Dvorkovich said. “The future of the game is in excellent hands.”
The Spanish Chess Federation confirmed that Barceló will return to training in December ahead of several invitational tournaments in early 2025, including the prestigious Torneo Internacional de Escaldes-Engordany in Andorra.
For now, the youngster from Tarragona savors a rare double podium finish — a testament to precocious talent, relentless preparation, and the quiet joy of moving pieces on a board halfway across the world.
Marc Barceló’s next competitive appearance is scheduled for the January 2025 Open Internacional de Lleida, where he will compete in the U-14 section to gain experience against older opponents.
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