Saptarshi RoyChowdhury wins 2nd Late Shri Vasudev V Dempo Memorial Rating Open 2024

by Shahid Ahmed - 06/10/2024

GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury and Rupam Mukherjee scored 7.5/9 each at 2nd Late Shri Vasudev V Dempo Memorial Rating Open 2024. Saptarshi won the tournament on tie-breaks, Rupam was placed second. IM Abhishek Kelkar edged past six more players on tie-breaks to finish third scoring 7/9. Saptarshi remained undefeated. Rupam's sole loss was against the eventual champion, Saptarshi in Round 6. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹380000. The top three prizes were ₹53000, ₹37000 and ₹27000 along with a trophy each. The six-day nine round rating tournament was organized by Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association from 17th to 22nd September 2024 at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall in Panaji, Goa. This is Saptarshi's first rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Top two score 7.5/9

The only GM taking part in the tournament, Saptarshi RoyChowdhury was the sole leader 7/8, heading into the final round. Five players - IM Abhisek Kelkar, Rupam Mukherjee, Prashanth J Naik, Sudhir Kumar Sinha and Shriraj Bhosale were trailing by a half point at 6.5/8 each. Saptarshi drew with Prashanth to become champion. Sudhir lost to Rupam and he finished second. Abhishek shared the point with Shriraj to get third place.

Champion - GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury 7.5/9 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Runner-up - Rupam Mukherjee 7.5/9 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Second Runner-up - IM Abhishek Kelkar 7/9 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Top 3 (L to R): 2nd Rupam Mukherjee 7.5/9, 1st GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury 7.5/9 and 3rd IM Abhishek Kelkar 7/9 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

L to R: Shirish Divkar, Arvind Mhamal, Chief Arbiter and Vice President, GCA, Mr. Mahesh Candolkar, President, Goa Chess Association, Mr. Shripad (Bhau) Naik, Union Minister of State for Ministry of Power and New and Renewable Energy, Mrs. Pallavi Dempo, Director, Dempo Group of Companies, Mr. Gaurish Dhond, Chairman, Indian Red Cross Society Goa, Ashok Parab, Member Secretary, IMB, and Dattaram Pinge, Secreatary, TTCA.

GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury scored an unbeaten 7.5/9, won the tournament on tie-breaks and gained 0.6 Elo rating points

Tournament was inaugurated by Mr. Mahesh Candolkar, President, Goa Chess Association in presence of GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury of Railways Sports promotion Board, Dattaram Pinge, Secreatary, TTCA, Arvind Mhamal, Chief Arbiter and Vice President, GCA, Dnyaneshwar Naik, Atish Angle, Naresh Pednekar, Mrs. Pallavi Kakodkar, Sushant Shanke and others by lighting the traditional lamp and making the first move on the board.

Mahesh Candolkar and GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury make the inaugural first move | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

L to R: Mr. Mahesh Candolkar, President, Goa Chess Association with GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury, Railways Sports promotion Board, Dattaram Pinge, Secreatary, TTCA, Arvind Mhamal, Chief Arbiter and Vice President, GCA, Dnyaneshwar Naik, Atish Angle, Naresh Pednekar, Mrs. Pallavi Kakodkar, Sushant Shanke and others.

Arbiters' team | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Thanks to the Chief Arbiter - IA Arvind Mhamal, Vice President, Goa Chess Association, for sharing photographs and information about the tournament.

A total of 150 players including a GM and an IM took part from all over the country in this six-day nine round Rating Open tournament. It was organized by Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall in Panaji, Goa from 17th to 22nd September 2024. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB5
1	2	GM	Roy Chowdhury Saptarshi		2215	RSPB	7,5	52	56	45,75	6
2	10		Rupam Mukherjee		1954	W B	7,5	51	54,5	43,50	7
3	3	IM	Abhishek Kelkar		2182	Pune-Mah	7	51,5	56,5	42,00	5
4	12	AGM	Prashanth J Naik		1924	Mang-Karnataka	7	50	55	42,00	5
5	26		Bezstrakhov Dmitry		1808	FIDE	7	49	52,5	38,00	7
6	6		Bhosale Shriraj		2062	Club-Purohit Chess Academy	7	47,5	50,5	37,75	6
7	17		Sher Singh		1885	Rajastan	7	44,5	48,5	37,25	6
8	29	AGM	Kiran Panditrao		1754	Pune-Mah	7	42,5	45,5	31,50	7
9	21		Aditya Savalkar		1829	Maharashtra	7	42	45	33,00	7
10	1		Nithin Babu		2305	Kerala	6,5	51	54,5	37,50	6
11	7		Sinha Sudhir Kumar		1992	Bihar	6,5	49,5	53,5	35,25	6
12	13		Nath Rupankar		1921	W B	6,5	45,5	50	35,50	4
13	11		Abhishek T M		1932	Kerala	6,5	44,5	48,5	32,00	6
14	19		Kabnurakar Rushikesh		1876	Maharashtra	6,5	44	47,5	31,00	6
15	27		Shejal Sahil Sanjay		1766	Maharashtra	6,5	43,5	44,5	30,75	4
16	9		Santu Mondal		1961	Central Civil Services	6	49	53	32,25	5
17	34	AFM	Vaz Edrick	U15	1732	Goa_Salcete	6	48	51	30,25	5
18	14		Karan J P		1916	Kerala	6	47	51	32,00	5
19	16	AIM	Pankaj Bhat		1885	Karnataka	6	47	51	30,50	6
20	18		Soni Krishan		1885	Central Civil Services	6	43,5	48	31,25	5