Aakash G triumphs at 25th Sant Marti Open 2025, Kaivalya Sandip Nagare third

by Shahid Ahmed - 17/08/2025

FM Aakash G, GM Hipolito Asis Gargatagli (ESP) and FM Kaivalya Sandip Nagare scored 7/9 each at 25th Sant Marti Open Group A (>1950) 2025. Aakash won the tournament due to better tie-break scores. Hipolito and Kaivalya were placed second and third respectively. The total prize fund combining both groups was €8215. The top three prizes in Group A were €1400, €1100 and €850 along with a trophy each. Aakash earned his maiden GM and IM-norms. Kaivalya also secured an IM-norm. This is Aakash's third overall, second rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: Roger Salvo

Aakash scores two norms, IM-norm for Kaivalya

Eight players including FM Aakash G and FM Kaivalya Sandip Nagare were at 6/8 each, heading into the last round. The Armenians, GM Manuel Petrosyan and GM Karen H Grigoryan drew against each other. 14-year-old Aakash defeated GM Dylan Isidro Berdayes Ason (CUB) to become the champion. GM Hipolito Asis Gargatagli (ESP) won against IM Michel Alejandro Diaz Perez (CUB) to finish second. GM Luis Lazaro Aguero Jimenez (CUB) lost to Kaivalya who claimed third place. 11-year-old Raghuraman Gurubaran won Category B (<1950). That will be mentioned in detail in a separate report. Nivedita V C scored 7/9 to finish third in Blitz Rating Open. Overall it was a successful event for the Indians as two podium finishes were claimed on Open A and B groups each.

Champion in Group A - FM Aakash G 7/9 | Photo: Roger Salvo

Runner-up - GM Hipolito Asis Gargatagli (ESP) 7/9 | Photo: Roger Salvo

Second Runner-up - FM Kaivalya Sandip Nagare 7/9 | Photo: Roger Salvo

FM Aakash G with his GM and IM-norm certificate | Photo: Roger Salvo

FM Aakash G scored an unbeaten 7/9, won the tournament on tie-breaks, performed at 2590 to earn his maiden GM and IM-norms and gained 99.6 Elo rating points

FM Kaivalya Sandip Nagare with his IM-norm certificate | Photo: Roger Salvo

Kaivalya Sandip Nagare scored 7/9, performed at 2461 to earn an IM-norm and also increase his Elo rating by 35 points

Players in action | Photo: Roger Salvo

The tournament hall at Centre Civic Sant Marti in Barcelona, Spain | Photo: Roger Salvo

Trophies for the prize winners | Photo: Roger Salvo

Arbiters team | Photo: Roger Salvo

A total of 92 players including 8 GMs, 7 IMs, a WGM and 3 WIMs took part from 20 countries across the world. The nine-day nine-round Swiss League Rating Group A (>1950) tournament was organized by C E Sant Marti at Centre Civic Sant Marti in Barcelona, Spain from 13th to 21st July 2025. The time control of the tournament was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment.

Replay all available Group A games

Final standings in Group A

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	Gr	FED	RtgI	RtgN	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	n	w	we	w-we	K	rtg+/-
1	40	FM	Aakash, G	U18		B	IND	2126	0	INDIA	7	51,5	41,5	2590	5	9	7	2,02	4,98	20	99,6
2	5	GM	Asis Gargatagli, Hipolito				ESP	2463	2529	Sant Andreu	7	50	39	2501	5	9	7	6,45	0,55	10	5,5
3	19	FM	Nagare, Kaivalya Sandip	U18		A	IND	2321	0	INDIA	7	49,5	39	2461	6	9	7	5,26	1,74	20	34,8
4	1	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel				ARM	2546	0	ARMENIA	6,5	53,5	42,5	2505	4	9	6,5	6,60	-0,10	10	-1
5	2	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.				ARM	2502	0	ARMENIA	6,5	49,5	39,5	2482	4	9	6,5	6,44	0,06	10	0,6
6	10	FM	Ruiz Buendia, Miguel			A	ESP	2368	0	Collado Villalba	6,5	47	36	2371	5	9	6,5	6,31	0,19	20	3,8
7	4	GM	Aguero Jimenez, Luis Lazaro				CUB	2483	2576	Sant Cugat	6	51,5	41,5	2418	4	9	6	6,45	-0,45	10	-4,5
8	3	GM	Berdayes Ason, Dylan Isidro				CUB	2488	0	CUBA	6	50	39	2386	5	9	6	6,86	-0,86	10	-8,6
9	13	FM	Khusenkhojaev, Mustafokhuja			A	TJK	2343	0	TAJIKISTAN	6	48,5	39	2468	4	9	6	4,44	1,56	20	31,2
10	6	IM	Diaz Perez, Michel Alejandro				CUB	2459	0	CUBA	6	48,5	37,5	2368	5	9	6	6,71	-0,71	10	-7,1

Details

A total of 110 players took part from 20 countries across the world. The one-day nine-round Swiss League Blitz Rating Open was organized by C E Sant Marti at Centre Civic Sant Marti in Barcelona, Spain from 19th July 2025. The time control of the tournament was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.

Final standings Blitz

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	Gr	FED	RtgI	RtgN	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5	n	w	we	w-we	K	rtg+/-
1	10	MK	Serrano Batova, Vicent			B	ESP	2020	2181	Barcelona	8	55	44	2314	8	0	9	8	5,14	2,86	20	57,2
2	2	CM	Valdepenas Octavio, Javier				ESP	2222	0	Kenilworth Chess Club	8	53	41,5	2291	8	0	9	8	7,38	0,62	20	12,4
3	60	ACM	Nivedita, V C	U18	w	D	IND	1783	0	INDIA	7	53	42	2202	7	0	9	7	2,50	4,50	40	180
4	28		Badrinath, S.			C	IND	1932	0	INDIA	7	52,5	40,5	2140	7	0	8	6	3,82	2,18	20	43,6
5	5	CM	Nunez Lucero, Francisco			B	ESP	2092	2256	Blanes	7	52	39,5	2150	7	0	9	7	6,37	0,63	20	12,6
6	3	FM	Castillo Dalmau, Albert			A	ESP	2161	2294	Tres Peons	7	47,5	38,5	2072	7	0	8	6	6,16	-0,16	20	-3,2
7	51		Alcaraz Lopez, Francesc	S60		C	ESP	1822	1925	Foment Martinenc	7	44	35	2056	7	0	9	7	4,24	2,76	20	55,2
8	1	FM	Fernandez Diaz, Cristian				ESP	2252	2405	Mollet	6,5	54,5	42,5	2094	6	0	9	6,5	7,69	-1,19	20	-23,8
9	26		Rana, Oliver	U18		C	USA	1936	0	USA	6,5	52	41	2049	6	0	9	6,5	4,91	1,59	40	63,6
10	6	MK	Nadal Fajardo, Ricard			B	ESP	2075	2194	Platja d'Aro	6,5	51,5	40,5	1980	6	0	8	5,5	6,11	-0,61	20	-12,2