Victory for Vishnu Prasanna at 4th Shaastra Rapid Rating 2020

by Shahid Ahmed - 24/02/2020

GM Vishnu Prasanna scored a fantastic 9.5/10 to win 4th Shaastra Rapid Rating Open 2020. He finished a half point ahead of the competition. GM Deepan Chakkravarthy secured second position with a score of 9.0/10. Twelve players finished at 8.0/10. GM Priyadharshan Kanappan was placed third according to the tie-break scores. Total 439 players including 7 GMs, 11 IMs, a WGM and 2 WIMs participated in this two-day event organized by Shaastra IIT Madras at IIT Madras on 22nd and 23rd February 2020 making it the strongest and biggest edition in the tournament's history. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Vishnu dominates the field

GM Vishnu Prasanna scored an impressive 9.5/10, finished a half point ahead of the field to win 4th Shaastra Rapid Rating Open 2020. GM Deepan Chakravarthy scored 9.0/10 to finish at first runner-up position. Twelve players finished at 8.0/10. GM Priyadharshan Kannappan finished third according to the tie-break score.

Top 3 podium finishers (L to R) - Runner-up GM Deepan Chakkravarthy 9.0/10, Champion GM Vishnu Prasanna 9.5/10 and Second Runner-up GM Priyadharshan Kannappan 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

GM Vishnu Prasanna won his champion's trophy and ₹45000 cash prize | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Vishnu scored an unbeaten 9.5/10 and gained 34 Elo rating points

Vishnu finished sixth in the first edition, second in the second edition, skipped the third edition and now won the fourth edition.

GM Vishnu Prasanna talks about his performance and much more | Video: Shahid Ahmed

Here are Vishnu's two of the toughest games as mentioned by him against Srinath and Priyadharshan in Round 8 and 9 respectively.

Despite GM Deepan Chakkravarthy losing his fourth round game against CM Nikhil Magizhnan, Deepan made a strong comeback and won his next six games to finish second with 9.0/10.

Runner-up GM Deepan Chakkravarthy received a trophy and ₹35000 cash prize | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Deepan talks about the psychological aspect of chess and much more | Video: Shahid Ahmed

In the final round, Deepan beat Kidambi, scoring his sixth consecutive win to finish at second position.

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan made a brilliant start with 7.5/8 and he was in the joint lead with the eventual champion, GM Vishnu Prasanna. In the penultimate round, he lost against Vishnu and made a draw in the final round against IM P D S Girinath to secure third position with a score of 8.0/10.

Second Runner-up GM Priyadharshan Kannappan bagged a trophy and ₹25000 cash prize | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Priyadharshan talks about his book The Modernized Berlin Wall Defense and much more | Video: Shahid Ahmed

His best win was against former National Blitz champion IM D K Sharma in Round 8.

GM Srinath Narayanan came very close to beating MVL early this year | Video: Shahid Ahmed

One of the organizer of the event, an IIT Madras alumni, Nitin M Pai beat WGM Nandhidhaa P V in the eighth round as she ran out of time.

I made my debut at the chess capital of India, Chennai and scored 8.0/10 to finish overall 14th, won 2nd position rating category (1500-1999) prize. My last round game against IM P Saravana Krishnan, who won the first edition of this tournament, was my favorite one. I must say that my opponent is an absolute gentleman for not starting the clock until I arrived at the board. I generally took a minute or two to reach my board in each round as I was taking photographs before the start of each round.

IM P Saravana Krishnan has won the first edition of this tournament | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

I managed to get a fantastic position in the middle game and we reached this position.

Saravana - Shahid, Round 10

Find out the winning plan for black here

Prize Distribution Ceremony photos

4th GM Srinath Narayanan 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

5th GM Laxman R R 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

6th IM Siddharth Ravichandran 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

7th IM P D S Girinath 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

8th IM Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

9th IM Al Muthaiah 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

10th Raahul V S 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

11th Kunal M 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

12th Pranav V 8.0/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

13th IM D K Sharma 7.5/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

14th GM Sundararajan Kidambi 7.5/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

15th IM Ravi Teja S 7.5/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Best Woman WGM Nandhidhaa P V 7.5/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Best Woman Second Saranya Y 6.5/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Best Veteran George Daniel 6.5/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Best Veteran Second K Ganesan 6.5/10 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

For more photos, click here.

Photo Gallery

On behalf of Chess Gurukul Charity, FA FT WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy presented WFM Savitha Shri B a brand new laptop | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Two former Chess Captains of IIT Madras, teammates and co-organizers faced each other in round 6 | Photo: Shaastra IIT Madras

Knowing how to checkmate with Bishop and Knight is absolutely important when you go for a strong rapid tournament | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Two gentleman and powerhouse of the game Deepan and Kidambi | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Kannappan-Vishnu was an intense battle in Round 9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Why you must play this event

You might have missed this tournament for various reasons, but let me give you a few reasons why you should not miss the next edition.

The auditorium is huge and it can easily accommodate 500+ players | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

The stage has top 20 boards with plenty of space and ample lighting | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Tournament is organized by the students of the institute part of their Shaastra tech fest, the only ISO certified one in the country | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

You will feel very close to the nature as you will often spot deer roaming around freely | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

If you are still not amused then monkeys will definitely amuse you when you are least expecting them | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Of course the institute cares about all the wild animals | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

The two-day Rapid Rating Open witnessed the total participation of 439 players comprising of 7 GMs, 11 IMs, a WGM, 2 WIMs, 3 FMs and a WFM. It is the strongest edition in this tournament's nascent history and perhaps one of the strongest rapid rating tournament in the country of this year. The tournament is organized by Shaastra IIT Madras at IIT Madras on 22nd and 23rd February, co-sponsored by Akshayakalpa and nurtr.

Final Standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	Gr	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	2	GM	Vishnu Prasanna. V			97/C	IND	2512	TN	9,5	65,0	70,5	67,25	0,0	9
2	5	GM	Deepan Chakkravarthy J.			26/M	IND	2470	ICF	9,0	61,5	66,0	59,50	0,0	9
3	4	GM	Kannappan Priyadharshan			76/M	IND	2482	TN	8,0	68,5	73,5	56,00	0,0	7
4	1	GM	Narayanan Srinath			49/C	IND	2530	AI	8,0	66,0	69,5	52,25	0,0	7
5	10	GM	Laxman R.R.			41/C	IND	2353	ICF	8,0	64,5	69,5	54,25	0,0	6
6	9	IM	Ravichandran Siddharth			95/C	IND	2370	TN	8,0	64,0	68,5	53,25	0,0	7
7	16	IM	Girinath P.D.S.			NA	IND	2275	SCRly	8,0	63,5	68,5	53,25	0,0	7
8	34	FM	Rohith Krishna S	U15		5158	IND	1883	TN	8,0	63,0	67,0	51,00	0,0	7
9	14	IM	Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad			NA	IND	2287	AP	8,0	62,0	68,0	54,75	0,0	7
10	15	IM	Muthaiah Al			5156	IND	2276	TN	8,0	61,5	66,5	51,50	0,0	8
11	21		Raahul V S	U19		5322	IND	2172	AAI	8,0	61,0	65,5	47,75	0,0	7
12	11		Kunal M.			Chen	IND	2320	TN	8,0	61,0	64,5	49,50	0,0	6
13	24		Pranav V	U15		5169	IND	2063	TN	8,0	59,5	64,0	42,50	0,0	8
14	41	AGM	Shahid Ahmed S.K.			NA	IND	1751	WES	8,0	56,5	61,5	46,50	0,0	8
15	6	IM	Sharma Dinesh K.			NA	IND	2422	LIC	7,5	66,5	70,5	47,25	0,0	7
16	7	GM	Sundararajan Kidambi			21/C	IND	2418	PSBB	7,5	63,0	67,0	46,50	0,0	7
17	8	IM	Ravi Teja S.			NA	IND	2377	WRly	7,5	62,5	67,5	47,00	0,0	7
18	30	FM	Srihari L R	U15		5092	IND	1910	TN	7,5	62,0	66,0	47,00	0,0	6
19	42		Hari Madhavan N B	U19		5154	IND	1737	TN	7,5	61,5	65,0	44,25	0,0	7
20	23	WIM	Nandhidhaa P V	F80	w	106/	IND	2151	AAI	7,5	59,5	65,0	47,00	0,0	7
21	17		Vignesh B			5026	IND	2273	TN	7,5	58,0	62,5	45,75	0,0	7
22	3	GM	Shyam Sundar M.			63/C	IND	2504	TN	7,5	57,5	62,5	44,50	0,0	7
23	83		Thrish Karthik	U15		5626	IND	1456	TN	7,5	56,5	59,5	40,75	0,0	7
24	51		Krithigga K	F80	w	Athe	IND	1636	TN	7,5	55,5	60,0	43,50	0,0	7
25	19	IM	Konguvel Ponnuswamy			25/C	IND	2216	PSBB	7,5	54,5	58,5	43,25	0,0	7
26	29		Barath L			5053	IND	1916	TN	7,5	53,5	57,5	36,75	0,0	7
27	26		Sai Vishwesh.C			5298	IND	2052	TN	7,0	65,0	70,0	48,50	0,0	6
28	33	FM	Manu David Suthandram R	U19		131/	IND	1890	TN	7,0	64,5	70,0	43,50	0,0	7
29	55		Srihari L	U19		NA	IND	1615	PON	7,0	63,5	68,5	44,00	0,0	7
30	20	IM	Ravi Thandalam Shanmugam			Life	IND	2193	TN	7,0	63,5	68,5	43,00	0,0	6

Complete standings

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