A perfect finish for Balanandan
After 7 rounds of play, seven players were co-leading the tournament with 6/7 points. In the 8th round, Balanandan defeated IM Girinath P.D.S on the top board to gain the sole lead. In the final round, he had a half-point lead and defeated IM Ramnathan Balasubramaniam to win the tournament, remaining half a point ahead of the field.
Tournament Inauguration
The tournament was formally inaugurated during the second round in the presence of General Secretary P. Stephen Balasamy of the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association (TNSCA). Addressing the participants, arbiters, parents, and organizers, he appreciated the efforts of Eight Square Chess Academy in promoting competitive chess and providing valuable opportunities for players across various age groups and rating categories. He encouraged the participants to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship, fair play, and continuous learning throughout the tournament.
The inauguration added significance to the event and reflected the strong support extended by the state chess administration towards the development of chess in Tamil Nadu.
A total of 216 players took part in this 5-day FIDE rating classical chess tournament from four federations, including India, Scotland, USA, and England.
Live Games Coverage
One of the major attractions of the tournament was the live transmission of selected top-board games, allowing players, coaches, parents, and chess enthusiasts around the world to follow the action in real time. The live boards significantly enhanced the visibility of the event and enabled spectators to analyze important games as they unfolded. The tournament webpage also hosted downloadable PGN files of completed games for further study and analysis
Game link: Here
Replay available games here
Tournament Officials
Organizer: Eight Square Chess Academy
Tournament Director: Ms. Sivaranjani S (35055690)
Chief Arbiter: IA Arasu, B (25932977)
Deputy Chief Arbiter: IA Arun Seshadhri S R (48721050)
Sector Arbiter: IA Nandakumar Veeraraghavan and team of arbiters
Special thanks are due to Eight Square Chess Academy, particularly Ms. Sivaranjani S and the entire organizing committee, for their meticulous planning and excellent execution of all tournament-related activities. Their dedication ensured a professional playing environment, smooth logistics, quality playing conditions, live-game transmission, and a memorable experience for all participants.
I thank my arbiter team and the volunteers for the smooth conduct of the tournament. - IA Arasu B
A huge thanks to the Chief Arbiter of the tournament, IA Arasu B, for sharing all the information with us
Final Ranking after 9 Rounds
Rank | Name | Typ | FED | RtgI | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | TB6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | U13 | 2032 | Kerala | 8 | 48 | 51,5 | 44,75 | 0 | 7 | 4 | ||
2 | 2117 | Tamil Nadu | 7,5 | 51 | 54 | 42,75 | 0 | 6 | 3 | |||
3 | 2016 | Kerala | 7,5 | 49 | 53,5 | 42,75 | 0 | 7 | 3 | |||
4 | 2223 | Andhra Pradesh | 7 | 52 | 57 | 44,25 | 0 | 5 | 3 | |||
5 | 2024 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 48 | 52 | 39 | 0 | 6 | 3 | |||
6 | U13 | 1956 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 46,5 | 51,5 | 38,75 | 0 | 6 | 3 | ||
7 | U13 | 1850 | Karnataka | 7 | 43,5 | 47 | 35,75 | 0 | 6 | 2 | ||
8 | U13 | 1830 | Tamil Nadu | 7 | 43,5 | 46,5 | 36,5 | 0 | 6 | 4 | ||
9 | 1981 | Tamil Nadu | 6,5 | 52,5 | 57 | 39 | 0 | 5 | 3 | |||
10 | F11 | 2009 | Kerala | 6,5 | 51,5 | 57 | 39,75 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
