Anton Sitnikov wins two in-a-row

IM Anton Sitnikov of Ukraine won the 16th Tamil Nadu IM-norm Closed Circuit Chess Tournament with the score of 7/9. N Lokesh of Hosur also scored 7 points, but better tie-break helped Sitnikov to obtain first prize and Lokesh got second place. FM Suyog Wagh and Mohammed Anees M scored 6 points each. Suyog got third prize due to better tie-break score. The tournament was organised by Kanyakumari District Chess Association at Hotel VLR Residency, Nagercoil from 30th January to 4th February 2024.

Winner - IM Anton Sitnikov (UKR) receiving the prize money from the Chief Guest Mr. P Pragadesh, Joint Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Chess Association

Runner-up - Lokesh N receiving the prize money from the Chief Guest Mr. P Pragadesh, Joint Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Chess Association

Second runner-up - FM Suyog Wagh receiving the prize money from the Chief Guest Mr. P Pragadesh, Joint Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Chess Association

16th IM Circuit Tournament Organizing and Technical team along with the participants and the Chief Guest Mr. P Pragadesh, Joint Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Chess Association

Inaugural first move is being made

Rev. Fr. Dr. M Maria William, Correspondent, St. Xavier’s Catholic College of Engineering, Chunkankadai, Nagercoil, is making the inaugural first move in presence of WGM Nandhidhaa P V, Mr. M Ephrame, Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, Mr. V Vijayaraghavan, Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Chess Association and Mr. G Winston, Secretary, Kanyakumari District Chess Association.

 

Mr. P Pragadesh, Joint Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Chess Association distributed the prizes to the winners. The organizer, Kanyakumari District Chess Association had arranged a sightseeing trip to Kanyakumari, the southernmost part of the country. The players enjoyed Kanyakumari beach, Triveni Sangamam, Vivekananda Rock, 133 feet Thiruvalluvar Statue, Bagavathi Amman Temple, South Tirupati etc.

Lokesh tactically won against IM David Gochelashvili (RUS) in Round 1

Raghav’s king got checkmated at the centre by IM Anton Sitnikov (UKR)

IM Sevan Buscara (FRA) seized the seventh rank and tied WGM P V Nandhidhaa’s Rook at a8

IM Anton Sitnikov’s marvellous bishop paralyzed FM Suyog Wagh’s knight

Beware of pawn fork! N Lokesh won against V Raghav

FM Mohamed Anees’ deep calculation won him a knight against IM Kudzanai Mamombe (ZIM)

Vivekananda Rock and Thiruvalluvar Statue of Kanyakumari

Some of the players and arbiters are at the Triveni Sangamam, a unique beach where you witness the Sangam of three seas - Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea

Players, arbiters and organizers at Kanyakumari

In front of Bhagavathi Amman Temple at Kanyakumari

South Tirupati in Kanyakumari

South Tirupati in Kanyakumari

133 feet Hight Tamil Poet Thiruvalluvar Statue at Kanyakumari

IM Olivier Touzane is so glad to stand in front of the statue of the Great Tamil Poet Thiruvalluvar at Kanyakumari

IM Sevan Buscara is watching the combination of Tiruveni Sangamam (Sangam of three seas - Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea)

Replay all available games

Final standings

Rk.SNo NameFEDRtgIClub/CityPts. TB1  TB2  TB3  TB4 
110
IMSitnikov, AntonUKR2356UKRAINE7127,7552
26
Lokesh, N.IND2140INDIA7025,7562
38
FMWagh, SuyogIND2266INDIA60,522,7543
47
FMMohamed, Anees MIND2319INDIA60,520,5042
59
IMTouzane, OlivierFRA2242FRANCE50,517,2521
65
IMGochelashvili, DavidRUS2287RUSSIA50,515,7531
71
IMBuscara, SevanFRA2359FRANCE4,5015,0021
82
Raghav, VIND2062INDIA306,2520
93
IMMamombe, KudzanaiZIM1797ZIMBABWE100,5010
104
WGMNandhidhaa, P VIND2305INDIA0,503,0000

Details

About the Author

M Ephrame is a Category A level International Arbiter, FIDE Instructor and Vice President of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association. He was also the Tournament Coordinator for the 16th Tamil Nadu IM-norm Closed Circuit Chess Tournament 2024.

 

The report was edited by Shahid Ahmed