60th NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP – PRESS RELEASE OF FIRST DAY

Pune, 16th August: GM Abhijeet Gupta was at his sparkling best in the first game of the 60th National Chess Championship Round 1 match against Anis Sikandar(JHAR), pocketing a win effortlessly. It took him just 26 moves to win a smooth game.

Within minutes GM Abhimanyu Puranik also defeated Devansh Singh, checkmating with ease in 35 moves. “The position was complicated but I had an advantage throughout” summed a happy AbhiManyu.” He also praised the Indians playing in the world cup and hoped for atleast 2 Indians to qualify for the candidates tournament from the world cup.

GM S.P. Sethuraman eased to a victory in 44 moves against Saparya Ghosh after finding one tactic after another. GM Sethuraman was in fine form, not giving his opponent any edge.

GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly, beat his opponent Mitul KH after the game was in an equal position for a long time. Mitul had kept an equal position for long matching move by move with GM Ganguly.

Eventually Mitul was low on time, and could not play the perfect moves in time pressure. And GM Ganguly, used all his experience, and won in the endgame, threatening a checkmate in 1 when Mitul resigned.

Earlier, The tournament was inaugurated at the hands of Shri Chandrakant Patil (Hon’ble Guardian Minister – Pune & Hon’ble Minister of Higher & Technical Education of Maharashtra), Shri Bharat Singh Chauhan (Deputy President – Asian Chess Federation & Hon’ble Chairman – FIDE Advisory Board), Shri Aniruddha Deshpande (Sr.Vice President-MCA), Shri Siddharth Mayur (Working President – MCA), Shri Girish Chitale (Vice President-MCA) , Shri Niranjan Godbole, (Hon Gen Secretary-MCA), Shri Vilas Mhatre (Treasurer-MCA), Mr.Prakash Kunte, Rajendra Shidore, IA Gopakumar M.S (A Grade Level International Arbiter & Chief Arbiter of this Tournament), Deepti Shidore were present on the occasion.

Following are the results: First Round(White and black):
Abhijeet Gupta(PSPB)(1pts) bt Anis Sikandar(JHAR)(0pts);
Devansh Singh(MP)(0pts) lost to Abhimanyu Puranik(AAI)(1pts);
Sethuraman S.P.(PSPB)(1pts) bt Saparya Ghosh(WB)(0pts);
Mitul KH(KAR)(0pts) lost to Surya Ganguly(PSPB)(1pts);
Diptayan Ghosh(WB)(1pts) bt Avigyan Ghosh(TRI)(0pts);
Mohitha Vakcheri(AP)(0pts) lost to Visakh NR(RSPB)(1pts);
Nayak Kumar(KIIT)(0pts) lost to Mitrabha Guha(WB)(1pts);
Iniyan P(TN)(1pts) bt Vandan Sawai(DEL)(0pts);
Mithiran A(TN)(0pts) lost to Vignesh NR(RSPB)(1pts);
Sayantan Das(RSPB)(1pts) bt Ganesh Tajane(MAH)(0pts);
Shyaamnikhil P(RSPB)(0.5pts) drew with Pranay Akula(TEL)(0.5pts);
Hardik Jha(PSPB)(0pts) lost to Akash G(TN)(1pts);
Deepan Chakkravarthy J.(RSPB)(1pts) bt Arshiya Das(TRI)(0pts);
Harshad Parulekar(MPSCB)(0pts) lost to Neelash Saha(RSPB)(1pts);
Venkatesh M.R.(PSPB)(1pts) bt Shourya Paul(WB)(0pts);
Prashanth Naik(KAR)(0pts)lost to Anuj Shrivatri(MP)(1pts)