Israeli grandmaster Yahli Sokolovsky wins European Under-20 Chess Championship

Israeli grandmaster Yahli Sokolovsky went unbeaten in Montenegro, scoring seven points from nine rounds and winning his final three games to claim the European title.

Israeli chess celebrated a major achievement as grandmaster Yahli Sokolovsky, a 2006-born member of the Kiryat Ono Chess Club, was crowned the 2026 European Under-20 champion.

Sokolovsky finished atop the standings with seven points from nine possible, recording five wins and four draws without suffering a single defeat throughout the tournament.

The championship was held from Aug. 6-15 in Cetinje, Montenegro, and was organized by the European Chess Union and the Montenegro Chess Federation. The Swiss-system competition featured nine rounds of classical chess.

Sokolovsky entered the championship as the top seed, with an international rating of 2541. While he was considered one of the leading contenders for the title, the road to the championship was challenging, with the Israeli facing grandmasters, international masters and FIDE masters among Europe’s leading young players.

Display of impressive consistency claims title

After opening the tournament with a victory, Sokolovsky continued to display impressive consistency. The decisive stretch came in the final three rounds. In the seventh round, he defeated Anton Zlatkov of North Macedonia. He then beat Armenian grandmaster Emin Ohanyan, who was ranked second in the tournament, with the black pieces in the eighth round.

Sokolovsky entered the ninth and final round knowing that a victory would put him in an excellent position to claim the title. He delivered, defeating Armenian international master Vah Sukiasyan to secure his seventh point, move to the top of the standings, and clinch the European Under-20 championship.

Sokolovsky’s performance throughout the nine rounds translated into a performance rating of 2584, well above the 2541 rating with which he entered the competition.

Israeli Chess Federation CEO Gil Boruchovsky praised Sokolovsky’s achievement, saying, “Yahli is one of the hottest names in the Israeli Chess Federation and will be one to watch in the coming years. This impressive victory demonstrates his tremendous talent and his place among the leading players of the next generation of Israeli chess.” Israeli Chess Federation chairman Dr. Zvika Barkai added, “This is an outstanding achievement and a direct continuation of the successes of Israeli chess on the international stage.”

European title marks significant career milestone

The European title marks another significant milestone in Sokolovsky’s developing career and further establishes him among the leading young chess players in Europe. Beyond the individual accomplishment, his victory represents another proud moment for Israeli chess and another indication of the country’s standing on the international stage.

Arik Kaplan, president and CEO of the Ayelet Association, the umbrella organization for Israel’s non-Olympic sports, called Sokolovsky’s victory “a tremendous and moving achievement for Israeli chess, praising the young grandmaster for displaying “exceptional talent, consistency, determination and the composure of a champion, especially in the decisive moments.”

“Yahli is a great source of pride for all of us and an example for the young generation of chess players in Israel,” Kaplan added. “We congratulate him on his impressive European title and are confident that many more international achievements await him.”