Vodice hosted the Croatian Youth Blitz and Rapid Championships (U18) from 21–23 November 2025. Representing Pula were two promising young players: Andrej Stojković in the U14 rapid event and Luka Karlović in both blitz and rapid in the U12 category.
Ups and Downs
For most of the tournament, Andrej Stojković was firmly among the leaders. After four wins and three draws, he entered the penultimate round in third place. Unfortunately, the final two games slipped away from him, and defeats to Petar Dimač and Višeslav Botica pushed him down to ninth place. Still, his draws against the eventual champion Ivan Ivančić and runner-up Ivan Močić testify to his strength. The event highlighted both his current abilities and the areas where he can continue to grow.
Two Second Places for Luka Karlović
Luka Karlović also faced a demanding event but rose to the challenge, securing two silver medals — seven points in blitz and seven and a half in rapid. Across both formats, he scored an impressive 14 wins in 18 games, a remarkable achievement. Two of his three losses came against Jakov Friščić, a rivalry that will no doubt fuel Luka’s motivation and determination going forward.
Fast formats rarely leave much time to record games, but Luka made sure to share one elegant miniature from the rapid event — a real little gem…
As always, we follow our cadets, support them, and eagerly look forward to their new achievements.
