Pune: GM R Praggananadhaa wins 32nd PSPB Inter Unit Chess Tournament

Pune, 12th March 2023: Young chess prodigy and Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa (ELO: 2587) of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) won the individual championship of the 32nd Petroleum Sports Promotion Board Inter-Unit Chess Tournament at PYC Gymkhana on Sunday with the score of 7.5 points in 9 rounds.

The tournament was hosted by Indian Oil Corporation Limited, and they swept the individual championship as all their three players were placed first, second and third.

R Praggnanandhaa, who was in joint lead after the 8 rounds along with Grandmaster Adhiban B (ELO: 2522) of Indian Oil, won the ninth and final round, by outplaying Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta (ELO: 2543) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, to emerge triumphant.

Grandmaster Murali Karthikeyan (ELO: 2523) of Indian Oil Corporation finished runner-up by scoring 7 points by prevailing over Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha (ELO: 2401) of Oil and Natural Corporation in the ninth and final round, with the best tie-break.

Grandmaster Adhiban B of Indian Oil Corporation was placed third, also on seven points, after he drew with Grandmaster Raunak Sadhwani (ELO: 2550) of Indian Oil Corporation.

Grandmaster Deep Sengupta (ELO: 2438) of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, finished with seven points and was placed fourth, after beating his teammate Grandmaster SP Sethuraman (ELO 2533).

A total of 74 players took part in the individual championship of the 32nd PSPB Inter-Unit Chess Tournament, which concluded at the PYC Gymkhana on Sunday.

In the non-professional category Kesavarapu Uma Sai Mahesh of NRL won the first prize, while S Mahato of IOC-AOD was placed second.

Grandmaster Raunak Sadhwani of Indian Oil Corporation emerged as the most promising player. GM Murali Karthikeyan of Indian Oil Corporation emerged as the player of the tournament.

Earlier, the Indian Oil Corporation-A had also bagged the team championship, with ONGC-A and BPCL placed second and third respectively.

HPCL-B was placed first in the non-professional category for the team championship. IOC-B won the second prize in the non-professional category for the team championship.

The prize distribution ceremony for the entire tournament took place with Dr M R Das, Executive Director and Head, Human Resources, IOCL, Anil Mishra, General Manager, Innovation and Employee Services, IOCL, Ashwin Trimal, Vice President, Pune District Chess Circle, Kavita Tickoo, General Manager, Institutional Business, Pune Divisional Office, IOCL and Nitin Shenvi, Chief Arbiter, as Chief Guests.

Top 10 placings: GM R Praggnanandhaa (7.5 points), GM Murali Karthikeyan (7 points), GM B Adhiban (7 points), GM Deep Sengupta (7 points), GM Raunak Sadhwani (6.5 points), GM Vaibhav Suri (6.5 points), GM MR Venkatesh (6.5 points), GM Mitrabha Guha (6 points), GM Abhijeet Gupta (6 points), IM Padmini Rout (6 points).