The eighth edition of the ‘Salamanca Cradle of Modern Chess’ Festival paid tribute to the city’s fundamental role in the history of the game. It was here, in 1497, that the student Lucena first compiled the modern rules in his work Arte de ajedrez con 150 juegos de partido. An original copy of this incunabulum is preserved in the University’s Historical Library.
The tournament, held from October 22 to 25, featured a double round-robin format with a time control of 30 minutes plus a 5-second increment per move. The competition brought together six outstanding players: Ruslan Ponomariov, Pranav Venkatesh, and Julio Granda in one side, and Sara Khadem, Nadia Toncheva, and Sabrina Vega in the other.
Heading into the final day, Pranav, the reigning World Junior Champion, stood as the sole leader with 6.5 points, a half-point ahead of the defending Salamanca champion, Ponomariov. The highlight of the last day was their second encounter in the eighth round (Pranav had won the first with the white pieces).
Ponomariov achieved a comfortable advantage, exerting pressure on the Indian GM’s hanging pawns – but a single mistake cost him dearly.
With 32.Qa3? (much better was 32.Rdc1! maintaining pressure) White allowed Pranav to launch a powerful counterattack with the thematic pawn thrust 32…d4! which turned the tables. After 33.Bxa8 (33.exd4? Bxg2 34.Kxg2 Qe4+) d3! Black won an exchange. Pranav’s conversion was not flawless – at some point it seemed Ruslan might hold a draw – but in the end, time trouble took its toll. 0-1
With this win Pranav practically secured the prestigious title in Salamanca. The World Junior Champion finished strong with two wins on the final day, scoring 9.5/10 and achieving an impressive performance rating of 2949.
Another compelling storyline was the battle was for third place on the podium, which for the first time in the eight tournaments was going to be won by a female player. In the final round the strong Iranian-born player Sara Khadem, who became a Spanish national in 2022, was fighting against the tournament’s revelation, the young Bulgarian Nadia Toncheva. Toncheva emerged victorious, establishing herself as a player to watch closely in the women’s chess. She scored 50% against very strong opposition, a remarkable achievement.
The success of this eighth edition—the number 8 being highly symbolic in chess—has been undeniable. The organizers acknowledge the sponsorship of the Salamanca City Council, the University of Salamanca (together with Alumni), and the Regional Government of Castilla y León.
Final standings:
- Pranav V – 9½/10
- Ruslan Ponomariov – 8
- Nadia Toncheva – 5
- Sara Khadem – 3½
- Julio Granda – 2½
- Sabrina Vega – 1½
Photo: Universidad de Salamanca
Official website: salamancachess.com/