10-year-old Samuel Stephen Noble dominates 1st V4 Chess Below 1600 Rating Tournament 2023
10-year-old Samuel Stephen S Noble scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to win 1st V4 Chess Below 1600 Rating Tournament 2023. He finished a half point ahead of the competition. Three players - Harshal U Patil, Samarateja K and Manikandan Tayalan scored 8/9 each. They were placed second to fourth. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹1000000. Top three prizes were ₹100000, ₹60000 and ₹40000 along with a trophy each. A total of 508 players participated from various states across India along with three from USA. The three-day nine-round tournament was organized by V4 Chess at Sri KVBR Stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana from 3rd to 5th February 2023. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy
Samuel Stephen's first rating tournament triumph
At a tender age of 10 years, Samuel Stephen Noble S has already won close to a dozen age group tournaments at district and state level. However, this is his first rating tournament victory which had no age limit, only restricted for rating below 1600. The boy from Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh scored eight straight victories. He drew his final round game against the only pursuer - Manikandan Tayalan, to become champion and finish a half point ahead of the field.
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A total of 508 players participated from various states across India and three from USA in this three-day nine-round Swiss League Rating tournament. The tournament was organized by V4 Chess - Deccan Chess Academy, Maestro Chess Academy and Chess Mavericks from 3rd to 5th February 2023 at Sri Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana. The time control for the event was 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.
Final standings
| Rk. | SNo | Name | Typ | sex | Gr | FED | RtgI | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | |
| 1 | 74 | Samuel, Stephen Noble S | U11 | IND | 1359 | Andhra Pradesh | 8,5 | 50 | 54 | 50,00 | 0 | 8 | |||
| 2 | 30 | Patil, Harshal U | IND | 1444 | Maharashtra | 8 | 47,5 | 50,5 | 44,75 | 0 | 7 | ||||
| 3 | 9 | Samarateja, K | IND | 1546 | Telangana | 8 | 47 | 51,5 | 46,50 | 0 | 7 | ||||
| 4 | 46 | Manikandan, Tayalan | IND | 1405 | Tamil Nadu | 8 | 45,5 | 49 | 42,00 | 0 | 7 | ||||
| 5 | 3 | Kesavan, G | IND | 1575 | Tamil Nadu | 7,5 | 49 | 52 | 42,75 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| 6 | 38 | Bhanushali, Kunj | SA | IND | 1424 | Maharashtra | 7,5 | 46 | 49,5 | 39,50 | 0 | 6 | |||
| 7 | 69 | Nidhish, Shyamal | U09 | IND | 1364 | Telangana | 7,5 | 41,5 | 45 | 37,00 | 0 | 7 | |||
| 8 | 12 | Rama, Krishna Murthy Malladi | IND | 1530 | Telangana | 7 | 55 | 60 | 43,50 | 0 | 7 | ||||
| 9 | 217 | AFM | Rohan, Kumar Gourabathuni | U13 | IND | 1172 | Telangana | 7 | 54,5 | 57,5 | 43,00 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 10 | 37 | Phani, Krishna C H | IND | 1426 | Telangana | 7 | 53,5 | 58 | 42,50 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| 11 | 66 | Sarvani, Cheedella | F15 | w | IND | 1372 | Andhra Pradesh | 7 | 49,5 | 54,5 | 40,25 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 12 | 42 | Anilkumar, Reddy Kasireddy | IND | 1414 | Telangana | 7 | 49 | 53 | 39,25 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| 13 | 10 | Satheesh, Kumar G | IND | 1542 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 48,5 | 52,5 | 38,75 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| 14 | 81 | Andalamala, Hemal Varshan | U11 | IND | 1346 | Andhra Pradesh | 7 | 48,5 | 52 | 38,50 | 0 | 6 | |||
| 15 | 29 | AGM | Karyasheel, P | IND | 1449 | Telangana | 7 | 48,5 | 52 | 37,50 | 0 | 6 | |||
| 16 | 20 | Garimella, Srivallabhaditya | U15 | IND | 1483 | Telangana | 7 | 47 | 51,5 | 38,00 | 0 | 7 | |||
| 17 | 25 | Rithvik, R | IND | 1465 | Telangana | 7 | 47 | 50,5 | 37,50 | 0 | 7 | ||||
| 18 | 57 | Anurag, M S | U15 | IND | 1380 | Kerala | 7 | 46,5 | 49,5 | 35,75 | 0 | 6 | |||
| 19 | 16 | Karthikeyan, G | IND | 1510 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 46 | 48,5 | 36,00 | 0 | 7 | ||||
| 20 | 61 | AFM | Pavan, Karthikeya Varma Gunturi | U11 | IND | 1378 | Telangana | 7 | 45,5 | 50 | 37,75 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 21 | 112 | Gopichand, K | IND | 1308 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 45,5 | 49 | 37,25 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| 22 | 40 | Lakshmi, Raja Perumal K | IND | 1420 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 44,5 | 48,5 | 36,00 | 0 | 7 | ||||
| 23 | 86 | Sasikumar, N | IND | 1336 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 44 | 48 | 35,75 | 0 | 5 | ||||
| 24 | 36 | Suhaas, Kuppili | U13 | IND | 1427 | Telangana | 7 | 44 | 47 | 33,50 | 0 | 7 | |||
| 25 | 192 | Shriram, Kailas Mhasane | IND | 1197 | Maharashtra | 7 | 44 | 46,5 | 33,50 | 0 | 7 |
