PANAJI
Goan chess player Nitish Belurkar has secured the International Master title. Playing in First Saturday International round-robin tournament in Budapest, Hungary, Nitish held GM Kovalev Andrei of Belarus to a draw in the fourth round to reach a live rating of 2400 ELO points to achieve the new title.
Nitish had achieved five IM norms at Olomouc, Czech Republic, Novi Sad, Serbia, Abu Dabhi International Masters tournament, Abu Dabhi, International Tournament, Moscow, Russia and VezerKepzo GM tournament, Budapest, Hungary.
“In February 2020, Nitish had achieved his fourth IM norm in Moscow and in March 2020, he was to participate in three tournaments in Vietnam, Sharjah and Dubai. But everything got cancelled due to the pandemic and his IM title remained on hold,” Nitish’s father, Sanjay Belurkar, told ‘The Goan’. “He got a chance to complete all the norms after 18 months, and we are happy that he has continued from where he had left and achieved the title.
“Nitish now has his sights on the Grand Master title... We hope he can achieve the highest title soon,” Belurkar said.
Earlier last week, participating in VezerKepzo GM in Hungary, Nitish had achieved his fifth IM norm and had gained 25.2 ELO rating points with victories over GMs and IMs. In the First Saturday tournament also, Nitish scored a fluent win over GM Pap Misa of Serbia and a draw against GM Kovalev Andrei of Belarus to achieve the required ELO rating points in the fourth round.
Nitish is a former World School Chess champion, Commonwealth medallist at Glasgow, Scotland, Johannesburg, South Africa and New Delhi, and has also won ASEAN medals in Indonesia and Vietnam, and Asian Blitz bronze at Solo, Indonesia.
“We are thankful to his sponsors GENO Pharmaceuticals, the Sports Authority of Goa, Govt of Goa, his college, SS Dempo College of Commerce and Economics, Goa Chess Association and Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association for their constant support and encouragement. As a family, his brother Suyan, his mother Roopa and I have always supported him and will continue to guide him so he can achieve even more in the sport," Belurkar said.
