THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Ramnathan Balsubramaniam edged local favourite Ritviz Parab to win the title at Insight All India FIDE rating chess tournament.
The IM from Tamil Nadu was upset by IM Chakravarthi Reddy of Telanagana in the final round but claimed the championship on a higher tie-break. The game started in a Reti opening and Ramnathan (2151), a 46-year-old Railways officer, blundered to lose the game. Ritviz beat Vraj Porob to finish on the same score of 7.5 points as Ramnathan but had to settle for the second spot ahead of Chakravarthi, who also finished with 7.5 points.Ramnathan, who got his IM title at the age of 35, is a former National B champion and National U- 19 champion. Ritviz beat Vraj with white pieces playing the Close Sicilian opening on the second board.
Overall 132 players, including two IMs and 82 FIDE-rated players from across the country and one player from USA, participated in the tournament organised by STCA and Insight at Damodar Higher Secondary School, Gudi Paroda.
Ashesh Keni was the chief arbiter of the tournament along with arbiters, Sanjay Kavlekar, Jostna Saripalli, Swapnil Hoble, Gautam Tari and Sudhakar Patgar. The prizes were distributed at the hands of chief guest Vilas Gauns Desai, an industrialist; Prakash Volvotkar, Chairman, Insight; Ashesh Keni, President, STCA, Damodar Zambaulikar, Secretary, STCA; senior SAG coach Sanjay Kavlekar and Tanmay Prabhu, Member, Insight.
