2nd Namma Bengaluru GM R8: Iniyan's excellence of execution propels him to the top

by Shahid Ahmed - 16/04/2025

GM Manuel Petrosyan (ARM) drew against GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB) in Round 8 of 2nd Namma Bengaluru GM 2025. Nithin Babu had a solid draw against GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO). GM Iniyan Pa played a fantastic game to completely squash IM Ethan Vaz. Ethan is also in good form, however, he was no match for Iniyan's excellent play. IM Padmini Rout suffered her second consecutive loss. It allowed her opponent, IM Ameya Audi join the leaders pack. FM Suyog Wagh lost a long minor piece endgame against IM Anuj Shrivatri. He also moved to the top. Currently, there are seven players at 6.5/8. It will be an extremely close finish. Round 9 starts tomorrow at 3 p.m. IST. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

Anuj and Ameya join the seven-way lead

The leaders group has been increased to seven players - GM Manuel Petrosyan (ARM), GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB), GM Iniyan Pa, GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO), Nithin Babu, IM Anuj Shrivatri and IM Ameya Audi. The eighth round witnessed two contrasting. GM Iniyan Pa won the game by launching a devastating attack whereas GM Sandipan Chanda showed his grit with an excellent defense.

GM Iniyan Pa played absolutely fantastic chess to beat IM Ethan Vaz and join the leaders' pack

Iniyan - Ethan: 1-0

GM Iniyan Pa (2578) is in excellent form this year. Starting with a convincing triumph at 15th Chennai Open, then his domination at 9th Johor Open, followed by his triumph at Cannes Open and last month he became the National Rapid champion. IM Ethan Vaz (2430) was also having a great tournament until he faced Iniyan.

Position after 19.e5!

19.e5! is an excellent move. It is something only a human can understand and appreciate, computers will refute by recommending some inhuman move like 19.Bb2 etc. The game continued 19...dxe5 20.f5 e4? 21.Nxe4 Bd4 22.fxg6+- fxg6 23.Kh1 Qe7 24.d6 Qe5 25.Nxc5 Qxc5 26.Qxg6+ Kh8 27.Rf7 Nf8 28.Rxf8+ Rxf8 29.Be4 and White went on to win the game without even using his queenside rook and bishop.

Final moments: GM Iniyan Pa - IM Ethan Vaz | Video: ChessBase India

GM Manuel Petrosyan (ARM) - GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB): 0.5-0.5

Nithin Babu played a solid draw against GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO)

Sandipan - Harsh

Position after 24...Bb1

IM Harsh Suresh (2389) got himself a substantial advantage against GM Sandipan Chanda (2485). It goes without saying that White's position is quite uncomfortable and more on the harsh side. However, Sandipan showed why he is a fighter and a staunch defender. He showed his daunting defensive skill to score a half point.

Final moments: GM Sandipan Chanda - IM Harsh Suresh | Video: ChessBase India

GM Sandipan Chanda showed persevered in his battle against IM Harsh Suresh

IM Padmini Rout suffered her second consecutive loss, this time against IM Ameya Audi

IM Anuj Shrivatri won a long minor piece endgame against FM Suyog Wagh

The All-Karnataka battle between GM Stany G A and IM Viani Antonio Dcunha ended in a draw

Koustuv Dash escaped with a draw after IM Sammed Shete missed a win in the endgame

Ashwin Sairam was pressing for the better part of the game and settled for a draw against IM Manish Anto Cristiano F

IM Neelash Saha suffered a tough loss against CM Naitik R Mehta

IM Kaustuv Kundu's inaccuracy in the endgame did not go unnoticed by Aarav Sinha

Varun V - GM Deepan Chakkravarthy: 0.5-0.5

After surviving the initial onslaught, Prathamesh Sherla seized his opportunity in the endgame when IM Semetei Tologon Tegin (KGZ) faltered

GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury - FM John Veny Akkarakaran: 0.5-0.5

For more Round 8 photos, please click here.

Norm chances:

Nithin Babu has to play the game tomorrow to score an IM-norm, irrespective of the outcome.

Paras Dilip Bhoir and FM Suyog Wagh need to win their respective games to score an IM-norm.

A total of 316 players including 20 GMs, 40 IMs, 2 WGMs and 5 WIMs are taking part from 11 countries across the world in Open A (>1900). The eight-day ten round GM tournament is being organized by The Golden Aura Trust at Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka from 10th to 18th April 2025. The time control of the event is 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move. There are no Classical round on 14th April. A Blitz Open tournament will take place on that day.

Replay Round 8 games

Round 8 results

Bo.	No.		White	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	3	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel	2544	6	½ - ½	6	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat	2352	40	PGN
2	66		Nithin, Babu	2242	6	½ - ½	6	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan	2532	5	PGN
3	1	GM	Iniyan, Pa	2578	5½	1 - 0	6	IM	Vaz, Ethan	2430	15	PGN
4	23	IM	Hari, Madhavan N B	2393	5½	½ - ½	5½	IM	Aronyak, Ghosh	2525	6	PGN
5	7	GM	Chanda, Sandipan	2485	5½	½ - ½	5½	IM	Harsh, Suresh	2389	27	PGN
6	11	GM	Stany, G.A.	2454	5½	½ - ½	5½	IM	Viani, Antonio Dcunha	2378	30	PGN
7	39	IM	Padmini, Rout	2354	5½	0 - 1	5½	IM	Audi, Ameya	2404	18	PGN
8	19	FM	Nguyen, Quoc Hy	2404	5½	½ - ½	5½	GM	Podolchenko, Evgeniy	2307	50	PGN
9	58	FM	Wagh, Suyog	2289	5½	0 - 1	5½	IM	Anuj, Shrivatri	2400	20	PGN
10	14	IM	Nitish, Belurkar	2441	5	½ - ½	5½	IM	Rajesh, V A V	2331	43	PGN
11	2	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.	2556	5	1 - 0	5	FM	Arnav, Maheshwari	2305	52	PGN
12	54	FM	Setumadhav, Yellumahanthi	2300	5	0 - 1	5	IM	Goutham, Krishna H	2449	12	PGN
13	70	IM	Gochelashvili, David	2227	5	½ - ½	5	GM	Sanikidze, Tornike	2448	13	PGN
14	16	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.	2418	5	1 - 0	5		Sri, Sai Baswanth P	2213	77	PGN
15	21	GM	Fedorov, Alexei	2396	5	1 - 0	5		Bhoir, Paras Dilip	2085	126	PGN
16	105		Koustuv, Dash	2131	5	½ - ½	5	IM	Sammed Jaykumar, Shete	2391	25	PGN
17	29		Vignesh, B	2382	5	0 - 1	5	IM	Saravana, Krishnan P.	2177	88	PGN
18	133		Ashwin, Sairam	2074	5	½ - ½	5	IM	Manish, Anto Cristiano F	2361	34	PGN
19	37	IM	Subhayan, Kundu	2356	5	1 - 0	5	CM	Chinmay, Kowshik	2011	183	PGN
20	149		Siddhanth, Poonja	2046	5	0 - 1	5	GM	Venkatesh, M.R.	2355	38	PGN

Details

Standings after Round 8

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB5
1	3	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel	ARM	2544	ARM	6,5	39,5	42	32,75	5
2	40	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat	UZB	2352	UZB	6,5	38,5	42	32,75	5
3	1	GM	Iniyan, Pa	IND	2578	TN	6,5	38,5	41,5	32,50	6
4	5	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan	GEO	2532	GEO	6,5	38,5	41,5	31,25	6
5	66		Nithin, Babu	IND	2242	KER	6,5	38,5	40,5	31,25	5
6	20	IM	Anuj, Shrivatri	IND	2400	MP	6,5	37	40,5	31,50	6
7	18	IM	Audi, Ameya	IND	2404	GOA	6,5	34	37	29,75	5
8	15	IM	Vaz, Ethan	IND	2430	GOA	6	40,5	41,5	28,50	5
9	19	FM	Nguyen, Quoc Hy	VIE	2404	VIE	6	38	42	30,00	4
10	12	IM	Goutham, Krishna H	IND	2449	KER	6	37	41	30,25	5
11	6	IM	Aronyak, Ghosh	IND	2525	RSPB	6	37	41	29,75	5
12	48	GM	Karthikeyan, P.	IND	2312	ICF	6	37	41	29,75	4
13	11	GM	Stany, G.A.	IND	2454	KAR	6	37	41	29,25	4
14	43	IM	Rajesh, V A V	IND	2331	SCR	6	37	40,5	28,75	5
15	30	IM	Viani, Antonio Dcunha	IND	2378	KAR	6	37	39,5	27,25	5
16	2	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.	ARM	2556	ARM	6	36,5	40	29,00	5
17	16	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.	IND	2418	SCR	6	36,5	38	27,00	5
18	4	GM	Pranav, Anand	IND	2538	KAR	6	36	42	30,00	6
19	88	IM	Saravana, Krishnan P.	IND	2177	TN	6	35	38,5	26,00	6
20	27	IM	Harsh, Suresh	IND	2389	TN	6	35	38	27,25	4

Details

Round 9 pairings

Bo.	No.		White	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Rtg	No.
1	5	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan	2532	6½		6½	GM	Iniyan, Pa	2578	1
2	20	IM	Anuj, Shrivatri	2400	6½		6½	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel	2544	3
3	18	IM	Audi, Ameya	2404	6½		6½		Nithin, Babu	2242	66
4	40	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat	2352	6½		6	GM	Chanda, Sandipan	2485	7
5	27	IM	Harsh, Suresh	2389	6		6	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.	2556	2
6	6	IM	Aronyak, Ghosh	2525	6		6	IM	Subhayan, Kundu	2356	37
7	38	GM	Venkatesh, M.R.	2355	6		6	GM	Stany, G.A.	2454	11
8	12	IM	Goutham, Krishna H	2449	6		6	IM	Hari, Madhavan N B	2393	23
9	15	IM	Vaz, Ethan	2430	6		6	GM	Karthikeyan, P.	2312	48
10	30	IM	Viani, Antonio Dcunha	2378	6		6	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.	2418	16
11	88	IM	Saravana, Krishnan P.	2177	6		6	FM	Nguyen, Quoc Hy	2404	19
12	43	IM	Rajesh, V A V	2331	6		6	GM	Fedorov, Alexei	2396	21
13	50	GM	Podolchenko, Evgeniy	2307	6		5½	IM	Sammed Jaykumar, Shete	2391	25
14	8	IM	Ayush, Sharma	2485	5½		5½	FM	Wagh, Suyog	2289	58
15	62	FM	Jani, Kushal R	2248	5½		5½	GM	Savchenko, Boris	2459	10
16	13	GM	Sanikidze, Tornike	2448	5½		5½	FM	Kshatriya, Nitin Vekhande	2133	101
17	64	FM	Ram, Aravind L N	2245	5½		5½	IM	Nitish, Belurkar	2441	14
18	32	IM	Schekachikhin, Maksim	2370	5½		5½		Koustuv, Dash	2131	105
19	34	IM	Manish, Anto Cristiano F	2361	5½		5½	IM	Gochelashvili, David	2227	70
20	71	CM	Mehta, Naitik R	2227	5½		5½	IM	Shahil, Dey	2360	35

Details

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations

Related news:

	Levan Pantsulaia wins 2nd Namma Bengaluru GM 2025, Anuj Shrivatri second @ 20/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	Can Levan Pantsulaia win 2nd Namma Bengaluru GM? @ 17/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	Aditya Dileepraj clear first at 2nd Namma Bengaluru Category B (Below 2000) Rating Tournament 2025 @ 16/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	2nd Namma Bengaluru GM R7: Nithin Babu grinds a rollercoaster bishop endgame, joins the lead @ 15/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	2nd Namma Bengaluru GM R5-6: Pranav Anand scores a double hat-trick, gains sole lead and withdraws @ 13/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	2nd Namma Bengaluru GM R4: Deepan Chakkravarthy crushes Karen Grigoryan @ 12/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	2nd Namma Bengaluru GM R2-3: Paras Dilip Bhoir beats two IMs in-a-row, scores a hat-trick @ 11/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
	2nd Namma Bengaluru GM R1: Smooth start for the top seeds @ 10/04/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en)