Singapore (Commonwealth Union)_ Singapore’s chess scene has a new reason to celebrate. Siddharth Jagadeesh, a 17-year-old of Indian descent and the youngest Grandmaster in Singapore history, has won the Under-18 World Youth Chess Championship, a first for the country. The competition, held in Durres, Albania, ended on October 15 after a suspenseful final round and a thrilling tiebreak. Siddharth’s triumph has been heralded as a watershed moment in Singapore chess, drawing international attention to the emerging talent.
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Despite receiving his Grandmaster (GM) title last year, the highest honor in chess, Siddharth admits to suffering with motivation and consistency in the months since. Between January and August 2025, he played in over a dozen events, yet his international Elo rating dropped from 2,515 to 2,467. “After becoming a Grandmaster, I felt rather lost. “There wasn’t a clear goal ahead, and I believe that contributed to a lack of motivation,” Siddharth remarked. “It was a tough period, but also a learning experience. I’m still not back to my peak rating, but I’m definitely a more mature player now.”
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Born in India and raised in Singapore from the age of four, Siddharth began playing chess at eight. He has always represented Singapore in international competitions. His journey to the GM title was consistent: his first GM norm occurred in Budapest in September 2023, followed by another in Dhaka in February 2024. A few months later, with his rating over 2500, and with his third GM norm won in May, he officially joined Singapore’s elite group of grandmasters. His last victory in Albania cemented his status as one of the world’s top young players. Entering the World Youth Championships as the 11th seed, Siddharth stormed through the first four rounds with consecutive wins, eventually finishing with seven victories, three draws, and one loss.
That single loss came in the final round against Poland’s Jakub Seemann, creating a tense wait for the final standings. Three other players, including Belarusian Artiom Stribuk and India’s Sriram Adarsh Uppala, also ended with 8.5 points. But on tiebreaks, which consider the strength of opponents faced, Siddharth edged ahead to take the gold. “I wasn’t sure I’d won until a couple of hours after my last game,” Siddharth said. “It was a relief and a proud moment to know that my earlier games had paid off.”
Kevin Goh, CEO of the Singapore Chess Federation and a Grandmaster himself, called the victory the country’s “biggest success” in chess to date. “He led from the start and played with real confidence,” Goh said. “Even though he lost the final round, his consistent performance earlier in the tournament secured the title. This is the first time Singapore has won a world youth title, and it’s a massive achievement.” Looking ahead, Siddharth is preparing to represent Singapore at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand this December. He will be part of the 14-member national chess team taking part in the men’s ASEAN rapid team and rapid doubles events.
Singapore won two silvers and three bronzes at the 2022 SEA Games in Vietnam, and hopes are high for more success this year. Siddharth, who will team up with Singapore’s top player Tin Jingyao for the rapid doubles event, is optimistic. “I think our partnership will be strong. I’ve been working hard on my game, and this win gives me good momentum and confidence heading into the SEA Games,” he said. But before that, Siddharth will be in action at the Chess World Cup in Goa, India, from October 31 to November 27, another stage where he will look to continue his impressive rise.
