A K Jagadeesh wins 2nd United Educational Institutions and CDCA Below 1800 Rating 2025
A K Jagadeesh and S Paresh scored 8/9 each at 2nd United Educational Institutions and Coimbatore District Chess Association Below 1800 Rating Tournament 2025. The veteran, Jagadeesh won the tournament due to better tie-break score, Paresh was placed second. Half a dozen players scored 7.5/9 each. Out of them, R Venkatakrishnan was adjudged third according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹400000. The top three prizes were ₹50000, ₹35000 and ₹25000 along with a trophy each. The three-day nine round Below 1800 Rating Tournament was organized by United Educational Institutions and Coimbatore District Chess Association at United Educational Institutions in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu from 1st to 3rd August 2025. This is Jagadeesh's first rating tournament triumph in nearly 15 years. The last rating tournament he won was in August 2010. Photo: IA R Anantharam
Jagadeesh's first rating tournament triumph in nearly 15 years
58-year-old Kerala veteran A K Jagadeesh won the United Institutions Below 1800 Rating tournament at United Educational Institutions, Coimbatore by scoring eight points.
Of the four lacs prize money, Jagadeesh had a share of fifty thousand rupees. Although 14-year-old S Paresh of Salem had an equal number of points, he had to be content with the runner-up position due to lower Buchholz data and collected ₹35000.
R Venkatakrishnan, brother of the recently elected grandmaster A Ra Harikrishnan topped the six 7.5-point group players to be declared as the second runner-up and won ₹25000.
After a draw in the sixth round with Santhosh Selvam, Jagadeesh had two successive wins and a draw in the final round, which fetched him the title.
FM Ayushh Ravikumar of Chennai drew with B Selvamurugan of Thoothukudi to be declared fourth. The latter finished ninth.
Paresh’s only loss was against the third placed Venkatakrishnan in the fifth round. Otherwise, he had a blemish less record of eight wins.
The tournament was inaugurated by Dr. M Manickam, President of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association and the Tamil Nadu IM-norm tournament circuit is his brain child. Already, he has sponsored more than one crore rupees for the circuit and the third leg of tournaments from 31 to 40 commences from 5th October.
United Educational Institutions – A Staunch Supporter of Chess
The United Educational Institutions established in 1999 in sprawling campus of 35 acres, about 20 km from Coimbatore airport is a chess hub, organizing many tournaments regularly. It has eight institutions in the campus, which cater to the need of engineering, pharmacy, medical sciences, arts and science etc.
Er. S Shanmugam, Founder and Chairman United Educational Institutions and Dr. S Mythili, Co-Chairman are staunch supporters of chess, having organized many rating, state and district level chess tournaments in the campus. They are also willing to conduct National championships, given a chance.
A total of 398 players took part from various states all over the country, one from Canada, two from Netherlands, four from the USA and one from Zimbabwe. The three-day nine round Below 1800 Rating Tournament was organized by United Educational Institutions and Coimbatore District Chess Association at United Educational Institutions in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu from 1st to 3rd August 2025. The time control was 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment.
Final standings
| Rk. | SNo | Name | Typ | sex | Gr | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | TB6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Jagadeesh, A.K. | S56 | NA | IND | 1772 | Kerala | 8 | 52,5 | 56 | 48,8 | 0 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 2 | 35 | Paresh, S | U15 | 6580SLM2025 | IND | 1661 | Salem | 8 | 48,5 | 53 | 45,5 | 0 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 14 | Venkatakrishnan, R | 8321TLR2025 | IND | 1730 | Tiruvallur | 7,5 | 52 | 56 | 45,3 | 0 | 7 | 5 | |||
| 4 | 19 | Sriram, Pandi S P | 3333CHE2025 | IND | 1704 | Chennai | 7,5 | 51,5 | 55,5 | 44,5 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 3 | Kesavan, G | 11353ERO2025 | IND | 1792 | Erode | 7,5 | 51 | 56 | 45 | 0 | 7 | 4 | |||
| 6 | 76 | Thamizh, Amudhan Y | U12 | 11035CBE2025 | IND | 1565 | Coimbatore | 7,5 | 51 | 55 | 43,3 | 0 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 7 | 9 | Nirmal, L | 4033CBE2025 | IND | 1761 | Coimbatore | 7,5 | 49,5 | 54 | 43,8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 8 | 33 | Swetha, S | F18 | w | 4419ERO2025 | IND | 1666 | Erode | 7,5 | 46 | 49,5 | 39,3 | 0 | 7 | 4 | |
| 9 | 65 | Dheena, Dhayalan A | 4403DGL2025 | IND | 1597 | Dindigul | 7 | 52,5 | 57 | 42,8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 10 | 44 | AFM | Ineyan, M R | U15 | 3983CBE2025 | IND | 1639 | Coimbatore | 7 | 49,5 | 50,5 | 36,3 | 0 | 6 | 5 | |
| 11 | 5 | Nihal, N Shetty | NA | IND | 1778 | Karnataka | 7 | 48,5 | 52,5 | 38,5 | 0 | 7 | 4 | |||
| 12 | 52 | AGM | Kannan, R. | 4818CBE2025 | IND | 1619 | Coimbatore | 7 | 48 | 52 | 38,3 | 0 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 13 | 32 | Santhosh, Selvam | 3957CBE2025 | IND | 1668 | Coimbatore | 7 | 47,5 | 51,5 | 37,5 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 14 | 60 | Shanmugasundaram, G. | 5539MDU2025 | IND | 1604 | Madurai | 7 | 46 | 51 | 37,8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 15 | 31 | AFM | Dambamuromo, Tavonga | NA | ZIM | 1669 | Zimbabwe | 7 | 46 | 50 | 36,8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 16 | 70 | Raghav, Budur | NA | IND | 1578 | Karnataka | 7 | 45,5 | 49 | 36,8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 17 | 1 | Karthikeyan, G | 2058CGL2025 | IND | 1798 | Chengalpattu | 7 | 45,5 | 49 | 36,3 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 18 | 28 | Pranav, Varshan A S | U12 | 7615TPR2025 | IND | 1672 | Tirupur | 7 | 45 | 49 | 38,3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | ||
| 19 | 16 | Gopinath, Parthasarathy | 3035CHE2025 | IND | 1723 | Chennai | 7 | 42,5 | 46,5 | 35,5 | 0 | 6 | 5 | |||
| 20 | 51 | Haris, N K | NA | IND | 1620 | Kerala | 6,5 | 50,5 | 54,5 | 36,8 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
About the Author
Prof. Rathinam Anantharam is an A-grade international arbiter. Member of FIDE Arbiters’ Commission, Chairman of Titles Commission in All India Chess Federation, Vice President of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, Chief Arbiter for six world championships, many Asian, International and National Championships. Nominated as one of the top seven arbiters in the world for the past hundred years by FIDE.
The report was edited by Shahid Ahmed
