In the 21st century the very best talents have tended to avoid the tournament, in contrast to the 1950s when several winners went on to have successful careers
The World Junior Championship for under-20s used to be a vintage event. Its first two winners, Borislav Ivkov in 1951 and Oscar Panno in 1953, both went on to become world title candidates, while Boris Spassky, in 1955, later won the supreme crown, a double equalled by Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov and Vishy Anand.
The event was still a major target for aspiring talents in 1971, when the financier Jim Slater was helping England’s two best prospects – Tony Miles and Michael Stean – who looked capable of challenging for the world junior title. The regulations were strict: only one player per country, except for the host nation which was allowed two.
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