Awesome Aravindh, Bhakti's Blitzkrieg at National Rapid and Blitz

The top finishers (L to R) - GM Swayams Mishra - 5th in Rapid, GM Aravindh Chithambaram - Champion in both Rapid and Blitz, GM Visakh N R 2nd in Rapid and 4th in Blitz, WGM Bhakti Kulkarni - 8th in Rapid and 3rd in Blitz and GM Laxman R R - 3rd in Rapid and 2nd in Blitz | Photo: Kanwarjeet/Punjab Kesari

Rapid:

Aravindh had a phenomenal start as he took a full point lead as early as round 6. Visakh N R kept chasing him for the title and remained in the hunt despite losing to the eventual champion in round 4. Aravindh maintained his sole lead till the end of the tournament and finished 1.5 point ahead of the runner-up GM Visakh N R.

With a performance rating of 2710 and facing all strong players, Aravindh absolutely dominated the field

Top 3 finishers in Rapid (L to R): GM Laxman R R 8.0/11 - 3rd, GM Visakh N R 9.0/11 - 2nd and GM Aravindh Chithambaram 10.5/11 - 1st | Photo: Kanwarjeet/Punjab Kesari

Bhakti scored 8.0/11 and finished at 8th position. She had the best finish for a woman at National Rapid in the last five years | Photo: Kanwarjeet/Punjab Kesari

Reigning National Women's Champion WGM Bhakti Kulkarni bettered her previous best performance in 2014 when she scored 7.0/11 and finished at 11th position. Since 2014, Bhakti's performance in this edition is the best for a woman in National Rapid 2019.

 

Here is a game of her where she defeated the defending National Blitz Champion IM Dinesh Kumar Sharma.

Blitz:

Aravindh had another amazing run at Blitz. He started with 7.0/7, at the end of round 9, he had a full point lead and won the tournament with a round to spare. Aravindh scored 10.0/11 to clinch the title and become the National Triple Crown Champion, finishing full point ahead of the runner-up GM Laxman R R.

Aravindh's phenomenal performance of scoring 10.0/11 with a performance rating of 2649 speaks volumes

Top 3 finishers in Blitz (L to R): WGM Bhakti Kulkarni 8.0/11 - 3rd, GM Laxman R R 9.0/11 - 2nd and GM Aravindh Chithambaram 10.0/11 - 1st | Photo: Kanwarjeet/Punjab Kesari

Final Standings in Rapid

Rk.SNoNamesexFEDRtgIClub/CityPts. TB1  TB2  TB3  TB4  TB5 
12GMAravindh Chithambaram Vr.IND2478Tn10,50,071,076,572,5010
217GMVisakh N RIND2268Tn9,00,075,080,562,508
35GMLaxman R.R.IND2429Rspb8,00,074,079,553,007
416FMMehar Chinna Reddy C.H.IND2274Ap8,00,073,578,555,005
53IMSwayams MishraIND2475Ai8,00,073,577,554,506
67IMKrishna C R GIND2395Rspb8,00,069,074,051,007
74IMSharma Dinesh K.IND2433Lic8,00,067,572,551,006
813WGMKulkarni BhaktiwIND2318Ai8,00,066,070,049,507
914GMNeelotpal DasIND2312Pspb7,50,074,079,550,755
1011IMSaravana Krishnan P.IND2327Tn7,50,067,571,044,007
1115FMGahan M GIND2298Kar7,50,065,070,044,757
1247Sharan RaoIND1803Kar7,50,062,566,543,006
1310IMRathnakaran K.IND2358Rspb7,00,074,079,546,006
148IMRavi Teja S.IND2378Ap7,00,072,076,045,005
1564FMAaryan VarshneyIND1623Del7,00,071,075,045,256
1667FMDushyant SharmaIND1585Pun7,00,068,574,045,506
1712GMThipsay Praveen MIND2325Mah7,00,068,573,540,756
1834Joshi Govind BallabhIND2011Del7,00,066,570,540,756
1962WIMDivya DeshmukhwIND1656Mah7,00,064,568,038,507
2023Senthil Maran KIND2181Tn7,00,064,067,540,756
2122IMShetty RahulIND2198Ai7,00,063,068,041,256
2229FMAnuj ShrivatriIND2077Mp7,00,063,066,538,007
2327WGMMeenakshi SubbaramanwIND2093Ai7,00,060,065,038,256
2436Pradeep TiwariIND1972Del7,00,059,563,037,006
2524IMMuthaiah AlIND2177Tn6,50,075,580,043,255

Complete Standings

Final Standings in Blitz

Rk.SNoNamesexFEDRtgIClub/CityPts. TB1  TB2  TB3  TB4  TB5 
11GMAravindh Chithambaram Vr.IND2532Tn10,00,076,580,572,509
22GMLaxman R.R.IND2463Rspb9,00,076,082,064,008
310WGMKulkarni BhaktiwIND2320Ai8,00,073,079,053,507
412GMVisakh N RIND2310Tn8,00,073,079,053,008
55GMNeelotpal DasIND2408Pspb8,00,072,577,552,006
68IMRavi Teja S.IND2391Ap8,00,071,076,052,507
716FMGahan M GIND2254Kar8,00,070,075,051,007
824Soham KamotraIND2136J&k8,00,069,573,551,757
97IMSharma Dinesh K.IND2393Lic8,00,067,572,552,508
106IMRathnakaran K.IND2408Rspb7,50,072,075,547,256
1118Shailendra K BajpaiIND2243Up7,50,067,572,544,507
1213IMKonguvel PonnuswamyIND2307Pspb7,50,066,071,045,257
1322FMAaryan VarshneyIND2196Del7,50,065,069,543,757
149GMSengupta DeepIND2330Pspb7,50,064,569,046,255
153IMSwayams MishraIND2442Ai7,00,072,077,043,007

Complete Standings