MPL National Rapid 2023 R1-8: Mitrabha Guha emerges sole leader

by Shahid Ahmed - 25/02/2023

GM Mitrabha Guha (WB) has emerged sole leader 7/8 after eight rounds of MPL National Rapid Chess Championship 2023. He drew with the defending champion and the top seed of the tournament, GM Aravindh Chithambaram (TN) in the seventh round. Five players are trailing him by a half point at 6.5/8 each. They are - Aravindh, IM Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad (AP), IM Ravi Teja S (AP), IM Nubairshah Shaikh (MAH) and GM Raja Rithvik R (TEL). The reigning National Women champion, WGM Divya Deshmukh (MAH) is currently the top female scorer 6/8. Who do you think will win the tournament? Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Five in pursuit including Aravindh

The eleven-round MPL National Rapid Chess Championship 2023 has a total prize fund of ₹400000. There are 25 prizes up for grabs. The top three prizes are ₹75000, ₹60000 and ₹50000 each respectively. The last three rounds will be played tomorrow, starting with Round 9 from 9 a.m.. IST.

The rematch between GM Aravindh Chithambaram and GM Mitrabha Guha ended in a draw | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 2

Sanchay Dubey (UP, 1816) and Vivek Sharma (BIH, 1795) scored big upsets over IM Prraneeth Vuppala (TEL, 2351) and IM D K Sharma (LIC, 2315) respectively. The newly crowned National Amateur Below 1700 Open champion, Sham R (TN, 1727) held the former Asian Junior Open champion, IM Raahul VS (TN, 2202) to a draw.

Sanchay Dubey (UP) - IM Prraneeth Vupppala (TEL): 1-0 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM D K Sharma (LIC) - Vivek Sharma (BIH): 0-1 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 3

Vivek Sharma (BIH, 1795) continued his momentum and drew with IM Ameya Audi (Goa, 2309). World Rapid Women 2022 Bronze medalist, WIM Savitha Shri B (TN, 2317) and IM Nubairshah Shaikh (MAH, 2310) were held to draws by CM Aaditya Dhingra (HAR, 2075) and CM Garv Gaur (HAR, 1960).

WIM Savitha Shri B (TN) - CM Aaditya Dhingra (HAR): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Nubairshah Shaikh (MAH) - CM Garv Gaur (HAR): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Vivek Sharma (BIH) - IM Ameya Audi (Goa): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 4

Mihir Shah (MAH, 1624) scored one of the biggest win of the round against WIM Savitha Shri B (TN, 2317). Sa Kannan (TN, 1738) scored a huge upset by defeating the reigning and two-time National Women and Asian Continental Blitz Women champion, WGM Divya Deshmukh (MAH, 2238).

IM Padmini Rout (PSPB) made an unbeaten start on the first day 3.5/4, by splitting the point in the fourth round against IM Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad (AP, 2388) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Sidhant Mohapatra (RSPB) - GM Raja Rithvik R (TEL): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Mihir Shah (MAH, 1624) - WIM Savitha Shri B (TN, 2317): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Ameya Audi (Goa) - FM Aradhya Garg (DEL): 0-1 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Raahul V S (TN) - Vivek Sharma (BIH): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 5

Four players were in the lead at 4/4 each. They are - GM Aravindh Chithambaram (TN, 2557), Mihir Shah (MAH, 1624), GM Mitrabha Guha (WB, 2374) and IM Ravi Teja S (AP, 2360). GM Mitrabha defeated Mihir to emerge sole leader 5/5.

IM Ravi Teja S (AP) - GM Aravindh Chithambaram (TN): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Mihir Shah (MAH) - GM Mitrabha Guha (WB): 0-1 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Raja Rithvik R (TEL) - IM Padmini Rout (PSPB): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 6

GM Mitrabha Guha (WB) defeated IM Ravi Teja S (AP) to increase his lead by a full point 6/6. The second board batttle between GM Aravindh Chithambaram (TN) and IM Nubairshah Shaikh (MAH) ended in a draw.

GM Mitrabha Guha (WB) - IM Ravi Teja S (AP): 1-0 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Aravindh Chithambaram (TN) - IM Nubairshah Shaikh (MAH): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Earlier this month, team LIC participated in the MPL 42nd National Team Chess Championship in the Open category. In the sixth round, the teammates faced each other. GM Sriram Jha (2338) drew with WGM Swati Ghate (2178) and IM D K Sharma (2315) defeated WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (2174). One must not forget, IM D K Sharma won National Blitz Championship in 2018 with a fractured arm.

GM Sriram Jha (LIC) - WGM Swati Ghate (LIC): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Dinesh Sharma (LIC) - WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (LIC): 1-0 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Kaustuv Kundu (WB) - GM Neelotpal Das (PSPB): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Chandar Raju (KER) - IM Dushyant Sharma (PUN): 1-0 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 7

The seventh round witnessed the rematch of last year's final round battle between the defending champion, GM Aravindh Chithambaram and GM Mitrabha Guha. The color was exactly the same and so was the result.

IM Sidhant Mohapatra (RSPB) - GM Sriram Jha (LIC): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Ameya Audi (Goa) - Kaustuv Kundu (WB): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Round 8

GM Mitrabha Guha (WB) drew with IM Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad (AP) to maintain his sole lead 7/8.

GM Mitrabha Guha (WB) - IM Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad (AP): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Nubairshah Shaikh (MAH) - GM Raja Rithvik R (TEL): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Sriram Jha (LIC) - IM Avinash Ramesh (TN): 0-1 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

The all-Odisha battle between IM Padmini Rout (PSPB) and WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (LIC) ended in a draw | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Inauguration Ceremony | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Bharat Singh Chauhan, Chairman of FIDE Advisory Board, made the inaugural first move | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

The man who dons many hats, Bharat Singh Chauhan shook hands with the defending National Rapid and Blitz champion, GM Aravindh Chithambaram (TN) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

For more Inauguration Ceremony, Round 1-4 and 5-8 photos, please click at the respective links.

Video Gallery

Final moments: Kiran Manisha Mohanty vs Bhuvanesh G | Video: ChessBase India

Seven-year-old carefully finishes off a Knight vs Pawn Endgame | Video: ChessBase India

The Moment you realize its over - Aashish vs Rudra | Video: ChessBase India

The saddening end to a Rook vs Bishop endgame - Garv Gaur vs Srihari L | Video: ChessBase India

Pawn Race - Niladri vs Pritam | Video: ChessBase India

Final moments: Chandar Raju vs WGM Divya Deshmukh | Video: ChessBase India

Unnikrishnan vs GM Mitrabha Guha | Video: ChessBase India

A total of 125 players including 5 GMs, 11 IMs, 3 WGMs and a WIM are taking part in this three-day eleven-round Swiss League Rapid Rating tournament. It is being organized by Crown Trust from 24th to 26th February 2023 at The Kangra Fort, Jammu. The time control is 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment.

Round 8 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Gr	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Gr	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	3	GM	Mitrabha, Guha			2374	West Bengal	6½	½ - ½	6	IM	Dhulipalla, Bala Chandra Prasad			2388	Andhra Pradesh	2
2	10	IM	Mohammad, Nubairshah Shaikh			2310	Maharashtra	6	½ - ½	6	GM	Raja, Rithvik R			2370	Telangana	4
3	12	GM	Neelotpal, Das			2302	West Bengal	5½	0 - 1	5½	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.			2557	Tamil Nadu	1
4	22	WGM	Swati, Ghate			2178	Life Insuranace Corporation Of Indi	5½	0 - 1	5½	IM	Ravi, Teja S.			2360	Andhra Pradesh	5
5	6	IM	Prraneeth, Vuppala			2351	Telangana	5	1 - 0	5	IM	Raahul, V S			2202	Tamil Nadu	19
6	7	GM	Sriram, Jha			2338	Life Insuranace Corporation Of Indi	5	0 - 1	5	IM	Avinash, Ramesh			2211	Tamil Nadu	18
7	9	IM	Sharma, Dinesh K.			2315	Life Insuranace Corporation Of Indi	5	1 - 0	5		Kaustuv, Kundu			2175	West Bengal	23
8	34	AGM	Vignesh, B			1956	Tamil Nadu	5	0 - 1	5	IM	Audi, Ameya			2309	Goa	11
9	13	IM	Padmini, Rout			2292	Odisha	5	½ - ½	5	WGM	Kiran, Manisha Mohanty			2174	Life Insuranace Corporation Of Indi	24
10	36		Suvradeepta, Das			1939	West Bengal	5	0 - 1	5	IM	Sidhant, Mohapatra			2243	Railways	15

Details

Round 9 pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Gr	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Gr	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	4	GM	Raja, Rithvik R			2370	Telangana	6½		7	GM	Mitrabha, Guha			2374	West Bengal	3
2	2	IM	Dhulipalla, Bala Chandra Prasad			2388	Andhra Pradesh	6½		6½	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.			2557	Tamil Nadu	1
3	5	IM	Ravi, Teja S.			2360	Andhra Pradesh	6½		6½	IM	Mohammad, Nubairshah Shaikh			2310	Maharashtra	10
4	16		Srihari, L			2241	Puducherry	6		6	IM	Prraneeth, Vuppala			2351	Telangana	6
5	15	IM	Sidhant, Mohapatra			2243	Railways	6		6	IM	Sharma, Dinesh K.			2315	Life Insuranace Corporation Of Indi	9
6	11	IM	Audi, Ameya			2309	Goa	6		6	WGM	Divya, Deshmukh			2238	Maharashtra	17
7	18	IM	Avinash, Ramesh			2211	Tamil Nadu	6		5½	GM	Neelotpal, Das			2302	West Bengal	12
8	8	WIM	Savitha, Shri B			2317	Tamil Nadu	5½		5½	WGM	Swati, Ghate			2178	Life Insuranace Corporation Of Indi	22
9	25		Ojas, Kulkarni			2122	Karnataka	5½		5½	IM	Padmini, Rout			2292	Odisha	13
10	50	AGM	Sa, Kannan			1738	Tamil Nadu	5½		5½	FM	Aradhya, Garg			2193	Delhi	20

Details

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