the goan I network
PANAJI
Iranian GM Idani Pouya emerged champion of the Goa Chess Association’s 1st Goa international Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament, following his impressive final round win over International Master Karthik Venkataraman at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Taleigao on Saturday.
After thrilling eight days of action, which saw many unexpected results and upsets, the tournament’s first champion ” Idani, who finished at the top with 8.5 points ” was crowned at the International Grandmaster Chess tournament. On the top board, Idani employed Dzindzi variation of Indian defence. After 30th round, Idani had an exchange a piece for three pawns and went on to convert it into an advantage and defeated Karthik in
41 moves.
Five players finished with eight points but despite being equal on the table, GM Babujain Levon and GM Deepan Chakkravarthy finished second and third respectively due to their tie-break points. On board two, GM Babujain Levon and GM Kasparov Sergey played a draw which cleared the course for Idani to win
the title.
India’s Rahul VS stunned GM Neverov Valeriy which helped him to achieve the International Master norm. Neverov adopted the Queen’s Knight Variation of teh Dutch defence. It was an equal game till the 21st move, and thereafter Neverov faltered giving up two pawns. Rahul VS went on to win the game in 61 moves. Surprisingly Top seed Kravtsiv Martyn finished 25th with 6.5 points.
Nitish best Goan
finisher
Fide Master Nitish Belurkar recorded a famous win against GM Bernadskiy Vitaliy which saw the young Goan lad grab seven points and help him finish on 20th position, the best among the Goan players. Nitish employed the Chigorian variation of the French defence and in the 23rd move a superb queen manoeuvre enabled Nitish to win the exchange and defeat the Grandmaster Bernadskiy 14 moves later. The Geno Pharmaceutical brand ambassador narrowly missed securing the International Master norm.
“It’s a great feeling to be performing well at the home ground. Drawing with two International Masters and one Grandmaster and then defeating one GM. I wish to carry this positive form into the next tournament and achieve the International Master norm which I missed here by a whisker,” Nitish said after the prize distribution
ceremony.
FM Ameya Audi and Ritviz Parab also made it to the top 40 list as they finished 33rd and 38th respectively. Ameya beat Ajay Karthikeyan in the final round while Ritviz lost against GM Tukhaev Adam. Both the Goans managed to collect 6.5 points.
Other prizes: Best Below Elo 2399-0: 1- Pranav V (TN), 2- FM Sai Agni Jeevitesh J (TEL), 3- Pradeep Kumar (POSTAL); Best Below Elo 2299-0: Deota Snehil S (KAR), Samant Aditya S (MAH), Patil Pratik (MAH); Best Below Elo 2199-0: IM Ramnathan Balasubramaniam (TN), IM Singh DP (RAILWAYS), Sanket Chakravarty (WB); Best Below Elo 2099-0: CM Nihil Magizhnan (TN), Gandish Anish (MAH), Prajesh R (TN); Best Female: WGM Toma Katarzyna (POL); WIM Michelle Catherina P (TN), Potluri Saye Srreezza; Best Goan Players: Niraj Saripallo, Om Barde, Nandhini Saripalli; Demolisher Bonus: Kumthekar Shubham (MAH), Mohite Ranveer (MAH), Venkata Ramana (Railways), Anuj Shrivatri (MP) and Raahul
VS (TN).
