Prraneeth Vuppala triumphs at Fagernes Slow Blitz 2024
GM Prraneeth Vuppala scored an unbeaten 6/7 to win Fagernes Slow Blitz 2024 Group A (>1800). He finished a half point ahead of the rest. FM Gunnar Lund (NOR) and IM Aksel Bu Kvaløy (NOR) scored 5.5/7 each. They secured second and third place respectively. 13-year-old Oda Skramstad (NOR) scored 6/7 to win Group B (<1800). Despite starting with a loss, she won her next six games in-a-row to finish clear first. FI Sushrutha Reddy, Kazim Yilmaz (NOR) and Amund Pihl Strand (NOR) scored 5/6 each. They secured second to fourth place respectively. The R Gang represented by GM Prraneeth Vuppala, IM Sidhant Mohapatra, IM Dushyant Sharma and IM Moksh Amit Doshi secured second place in Team talking chess. Photo: Anniken Vestby/Fagernes 2024
Sushrutha and The R Gang second in Group B and Team talking chess
GM Rinat Jumabayev (KAZ) is currently the sole leader 6/7 in GM group. He is closely followed by GM Frode Olav Olsen Urkedal (NOR) 5.5/7. A dozen players including five Indians - GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly, GM Krishnan Sasikiran, GM Abhimanyu Puranik, GM Raja Rithvik R and GM Pranav Anand are at 5/7 each.
A little over a fortnight ago, GM Prraneeth Vuppala finished third at Harpa Blitz 2024 part of Reykjavik Open in Reykjavik, Iceland.
13-year-old Oda Skramstad (NOR) must be applauded for winning the Group B (<1800) Blitz event convincingly by finishing a full point ahead of others. She also started the event with a loss and then won scored a double hat-trick of wins. It is not every day a female chess player wins an open/rating restricted blitz event.
Team talking chess
For those who are wondering what is team talking chess, the official site mentions - Teamtalkingchess is a highly entertaining and social Norwegian speciality in which rapid chess matches are played over six boards with no more than four players in each team! Within a team, players can communicate and swap games whenever they want.
L to R: IM Sidhant Mohapatra, GM Prraneeth Vuppala, IM Dushyant Sharma and IM Moksh Amit Doshi
A total of 33 players including 2 GMs and 6 IMs took part from various countries across the world in Group A (>1800) of the Fagernes Slow Blitz event. The tournament was organized by IO IA Hans Olav Lahlum in cooperation with Sotra Sjakklubb on 29th March 2024 at Scandic Valdres hotel in Fagernes, Norway. The seven-round Swiss league tournament had a time control of 5 minutes + 3 seconds increment from move no. 1.
Final standings in Group A
A total of 20 players took part from various countries across the world in Group B (<1800) of the Fagernes Slow Blitz event. The tournament was organized by IO IA Hans Olav Lahlum in cooperation with Sotra Sjakklubb on 29th March 2024 at Scandic Valdres hotel in Fagernes, Norway. The seven-round Swiss league tournament had a time control of 5 minutes + 3 seconds increment from move no. 1.
Final standings in Group B
Final standings in Team talking chess
1) Stavanger 8 16.5
IM Aksel Bu Kvaløy
FM Håvard Haug
FM Shazil Shehzad
Martin Holten Fiskaaen
2) The R Gang 6 17.5
GM Prraneeth Vuppala
IM Sidhant Mohapatra
IM Dushyant Sharma
IM Moksh Doshi
3) 46.95 Sjokoladeplater 6 17.0
IM Ludvig Carlsson
IM Semen Mitusov
FM Mathias Unneland
Eivind G. Kreken
Total 12 teams took part