By Kirti Patil
Pune: Young chess prodigy and Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa (ELO: 2587) of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) won the individual championship of the 32nd Petroleum Sports Promotion Board Inter-Unit Chess Tournament at PYC Gymkhana on Sunday topping the table with 7.5 points in the 9-round event.
The tournament was hosted by Indian Oil Corporation Limited, and they swept the individual championship as all their three players were placed first, second and third.
R Praggnanandhaa, who was in joint lead after the 8 rounds along with GrandmasterB. Adhiban (ELO: 2522) of Indian Oil, won the ninth and final round, by outplaying Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta (ELO: 2543) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, to emerge triumphant.
Grandmaster Murali Karthikeyan (ELO: 2523) of Indian Oil Corporation finished runner-up by securing 7 pointsas he prevailed over GM Mitrabha Guha (ELO: 2401) of Oil and Natural Corporation in the final round with the best tie-break score.
GM B. Adhiban of Indian Oil Corporation was placed third, also on seven points, after he drew with MRaunak Sadhwani (ELO: 2550) of Indian Oil Corporation.
Grandmaster Deep Sengupta (ELO: 2438) of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, finished with seven points and was placed fourth, after beating his teammate Grandmaster SP Sethuraman (ELO 2533).
A total of 74 players took part in the individual championship of the 32nd PSPB Inter-Unit Chess Tournament, which concluded at the PYC Gymkhana on Sunday.
In the non-professional category Kesavarapu Uma Sai Mahesh of NRL won the first prize, while S Mahato of IOC-AOD was placed second.
Grandmaster Raunak Sadhwani of Indian Oil Corporation emerged as the most promising player. GM Murali Karthikeyan of Indian Oil Corporation emerged as the player of the tournament.
Earlier, the Indian Oil Corporation-A had also bagged the team championship, with ONGC-A and BPCL placed second and third respectively.
HPCL-B was placed first in the non-professional category for the team championship. IOC-B won the second prize in the non-professional category for the team championship.
Top 10 placings:1. GM R Praggnanandhaa (7.5 points), 2. GM Murali Karthikeyan (7 pts), 3. GM B Adhiban (7 pts), 4. GM Deep Sengupta (7 pts), 5. GM Raunak Sadhwani (6.5 pts), 6. GM Vaibhav Suri (6.5 pts), 7. GM MR Venkatesh (6.5 pts), 8. GM Mitrabha Guha (6 pts), 9. GM Abhijeet Gupta (6 pts),10. IM Padmini Rout (6 pts).
