1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R9: Aditya Samant becomes the new International Master of India

by Shahid Ahmed - 07/06/2022

15-year-old Aditya S Samant became the latest International Master of India. It happened when he drew his ninth round game against Srihari L at 1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022. Pune's very own Aditya secured his final IM-norm at his home city only. Top seed of the tournament, GM Farrukh Amonatov defeated GM Boris Savchenko to gain sole lead 7.5/9. GM Deep Sengupta, GM Arjun Kalyan and GM Aleksej Aleksandrov are in the chase 7/9. Arjun will face Amonatov and Deep will be up against Aleksandrov in the penultimate round. IM Bhakti Kulkarni is currently the top female scorer 6/9. Round 10 starts today at 10 a.m. IST. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Sharan Rao scores his second IM-norm

There were a lot of players who were close to scoring their norms. Apart from Aditya Samant, FM Sharan Rao also scored an IM-norm. This was his second IM-norm. He needs one more norm and touch 2400 in the live ratings to become India's next International Master. IM Srihari L R, IM Aditya Mittal and IM Neelash Saha are at 6.5/9 each.

Aditya S Samant became the latest International Master of India | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Deep - Nikitenko: 1-0

GM Mihail Nikitenko (2479) delayed the development of his pieces on the queenside. It cost him the game against GM Deep Sengupta (2526).

Position after 27.f6

27.f6 is the point of no return for Black. There is no way to save the game any longer.

I wanted to play something unusual in the opening - GM Deep Sengupta | Video: ChessBase India

GM Deep Sengupta defeated GM Mihail Nikitenko comfortably | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Neelash - Aditya Mittal: 0.5-0.5

IM Aditya Mittal (2490) once again managed to escape with a draw in a difficult endgame. His opponent was reigning National Junior Open champion, IM Neelash Saha (2439).

Position after 31...Ne2+

Generally, Rook and Bishop is considered a better combination in the endgame than a Rook and Knight, especially if the position is open. However, it turns out, in this position 31...Ne2+ was not the best idea. We realize it after a few moves.

Position after 45...Ra8

The game continued 46.h5 Ra5 47.h6 Be4 48.Rd4 Bh7 49.Rb4 Rxe5 and Black managed to hold a draw in the next few moves. Instead, 46.Nd5+ could have led to a different outcome.

IM Aditya Mittal showed his resiliency for the second consecutive game | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Karthik Venkataraman - GM Arjun Kalyan: 0-1 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

It was a little awkward to play against my roommate - GM Arjun Kalyan | Video: ChessBase India

GM Lalit Rohit - CM Kushagra Mohan (pictured): 0.5-0,5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Anuj Shrivatri - GM Venkatesh M R: 0.5-0,5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Vishnu Prasanna - IM Srihari L: 0-1 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

It's not about winning but how you win - IM Srihari L R | Video: ChessBase India

Srihari L - FM Aditya Samant: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Kaustuv Kundu - GM Deepan Chakkravarthy: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM P Saravana Krishnan - GM Azer Mirzoev (AZE): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

FM Sharan Rao - GM Nguyen Van Huy (VIE): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Himal Gusain - CM Aaditya Dhingra: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Bhakti Kulkarni - FM Ram Aravind L N: 1-0 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Game of the Round #1 winner - GM Farrukh Amonatov | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Game of the Round #2 winner - GM Deep Sengupta | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

For more Round 9 photos, please click here.

A total of 141 players including 20 GMs, 29 IMs, 6 WGM and 9 WIMs are taking part from 13 countries across the world including India. The tournament is organized by Maharashtra Chess Association from 31st May to 8th June 2022 at Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune, Maharashtra. The eleven-round Swiss league tournament has a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

Replay Round 9 games

Round 9 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	1	GM	Amonatov Farrukh	2622	6½	1 - 0	6½	GM	Savchenko Boris	2524	6
2	5	GM	Sengupta Deep	2526	6	1 - 0	6½	GM	Nikitenko Mihail	2479	11
3	26	GM	Nguyen Duc Hoa	2398	6	0 - 1	6	GM	Aleksandrov Aleksej	2492	7
4	18	IM	Neelash Saha	2439	6	½ - ½	6	IM	Aditya Mittal	2490	9
5	10	GM	Karthik Venkataraman	2480	6	0 - 1	6	GM	Arjun Kalyan	2477	13
6	47	WGM	Divya Deshmukh	2317	5½	0 - 1	5½	GM	Paichadze Luka	2567	2
7	3	GM	Lalith Babu M R	2563	5½	½ - ½	5½	CM	Kushagra Mohan	2343	40
8	35	IM	Anuj Shrivatri	2356	5½	½ - ½	5½	GM	Venkatesh M.R.	2490	8
9	17	GM	Stupak Kirill	2440	5½	1 - 0	5½	IM	Kulkarni Vikramaditya	2311	48
10	19	GM	Vishnu Prasanna. V	2437	5½	0 - 1	5½	IM	Srihari L R	2404	24
11	71		Srihari L	2178	5½	½ - ½	5½	FM	Samant Aditya S	2433	20
12	4	GM	Fedorov Alexei	2529	5	1 - 0	5	FM	Panesar Vedant	2337	41
13	45		Kaustuv Kundu	2327	5	½ - ½	5	GM	Deepan Chakkravarthy J.	2478	12
14	55	IM	Saravana Krishnan P.	2269	5	½ - ½	5	GM	Mirzoev Azer	2476	14
15	15	IM	Nigmatov Ortik	2463	5	1 - 0	5	FM	Aaryan Varshney	2308	50

Details

Round 10 pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	13	GM	Arjun Kalyan	2477	7		7½	GM	Amonatov Farrukh	2622	1
2	7	GM	Aleksandrov Aleksej	2492	7		7	GM	Sengupta Deep	2526	5
3	2	GM	Paichadze Luka	2567	6½		6½	GM	Stupak Kirill	2440	17
4	6	GM	Savchenko Boris	2524	6½		6½	GM	Nikitenko Mihail	2479	11
5	24	IM	Srihari L R	2404	6½		6½	IM	Aditya Mittal	2490	9
6	3	GM	Lalith Babu M R	2563	6		6½	IM	Neelash Saha	2439	18
7	28	IM	Audi Ameya	2389	6		6	GM	Fedorov Alexei	2529	4
8	8	GM	Venkatesh M.R.	2490	6		6	IM	Kulkarni Bhakti	2370	31
9	35	IM	Anuj Shrivatri	2356	6		6	GM	Karthik Venkataraman	2480	10
10	40	CM	Kushagra Mohan	2343	6		6	IM	Nigmatov Ortik	2463	15
11	20	FM	Samant Aditya S	2433	6		6		Prasannaa.S	2164	73
12	71		Srihari L	2178	6		6	GM	Nguyen Duc Hoa	2398	26
13	12	GM	Deepan Chakkravarthy J.	2478	5½		5½	FM	Rohith Krishna S	2337	42
14	14	GM	Mirzoev Azer	2476	5½		5½	IM	Konguvel Ponnuswamy	2331	43
15	16	IM	Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh	2443	5½		5½	FM	Sharan Rao	2274	53

Details

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