Abhimanyu Puranik convincingly clinches 10th Chessable Sunway Sitges Open 2023

by Shahid Ahmed - 04/01/2024

GM Abhimanyu Puranik defeated GM Sethuraman S P in the final round to win X Chessable Sunway Sitges Open 2023. The win ensured Abhimanyu finishing a half point ahead of the field which means no Playoffs were necessary for him. The second to eighth position were determined by Playoffs. GM Aravindh Chithambaram scored 8/10 to be placed fourth. Sethuraman and GM Iniyan P scored 7.5/10 to secure sixth and seventh place according to tie-breaks. GM Raja Rithvik R scored 7.5/10 finish tenth. He ensured Indians get five places out of top ten. This tournament triumph and a second place finish at 4th Elllobregat Open 2023, put Abhimanyu among World Top 100. Thus, India currently has the highest number of players among World Top 100 - 11. Photo: Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival

Indians claim five out of top ten

Apart from Abhimanyu Puranik's triumph in Open A, there were several side events like Blitz, Rapid, Chess960 where Indian players claimed mutliple podium finishes. The top three prizes in the Open A were - €5000, €3000 and €1500 along with a trophy each.

Champion - GM Abhimanyu Puranik 8.5/10 | Photo: Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival

Abhimanyu - Sethuraman, Round 10

Positiona after 31.Qe3!

GM Abhimanyu Puranik (2627) decided to return the exchange 31.Qe3! attacking both bishops. Black's best course of action was to play 31...f4 saving both bishops tactically. Instead, he went 31...fxe4 32.Qxg3 White successfully managed to turn things in his favor and he won the game in another ten moves.

GM Abhimanyu Puranik defeated GM Sethuraman S P in the final round to become a clear champion | Photo: David Llada

GM Abhimanyu Puranik won four games in-a-row after losing his sixth round game, thus he did not require any Playoffs

4th GM Aravindh Chithambaram 8/10 | Photo: David Llada

6th GM Sethuraman S P 7.5/10 | Photo: Official site

7th GM Iniyan P 7.5/10 | Photo: Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival

10th GM Raja Rithvik R 7.5/10

Bullet: Pranesh second

GM Pranesh M scored 10.5/12 to finish second in the Bullet event. The time control was 1 min + 1 second increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	2	GM	Golubka, Petro	UKR	2402	8	42	45,5	40,00
2	4		Sham, R	IND	1988	8	41,5	45	37,50
3	1	IM	Fernandez Guillen, Ernesto J.	CUB	2481	6,5	43	46,5	30,50
4	7		Fellowes, Billy	ENG	1854	5	41,5	42	14,50
5	6		Murphy, Dara	IRL	1907	5	34	34,5	16,00
6	5		Bjorkman, Filip	SWE	1987	5	30	30,5	13,75
7	3		Burrows, Martin P	ENG	2083	4,5	46	49,5	21,25
8	11		Ferzli, Michael	LBN	1723	4,5	43,5	47	20,25
9	12		Banerjee, Aryan	SWE	1668	4,5	42	42,5	16,00
10	10		Carey, Michael	USA	1788	4,5	41	42,5	17,50

Details

Pranesh wins Blitz 13/12

GM Pranesh M scored an unbeaten 8/9 to win the Blitz Open on 13th December 2023. The time control was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	1	GM	Pranesh, M	IND	2481	8	49	53	47,00
2	15	FM	Begmuratov, Khumoyun	UZB	2276	8	48,5	50,5	43,00
3	6	GM	Golubka, Petro	UKR	2437	7,5	50,5	54,5	43,50
4	8	GM	Iniyan, Pa	IND	2420	7	53	58	42,00
5	24	FM	Krishnan, Ritvik	IND	2193	6,5	51	53,5	35,25
6	45		Sham, R	IND	1880	6,5	47,5	52	33,75
7	60		Saydaliev, Akobirkhon	UZB	1679	6,5	45,5	49,5	33,25
8	7	IM	Fernandez Guillen, Ernesto J.	CUB	2436	6,5	45	48,5	31,75
9	16		Aakash Sharadchandra, Dalvi	IND	2267	6,5	38	41	26,75
10	5	FM	Suyarov, Mukhammadzokhid	UZB	2449	6	48	52	30,50

Details

Rapid: Sham second

Sham R scored 8/9, same as GM Petro Golubka (UKR). Petro won the Rapid event on tie-breaks, Sham secured second place. The tournament was held from 14th to 16th December. The time control of the event was 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	2	GM	Golubka, Petro	UKR	2402	8	42	45,5	40,00
2	4		Sham, R	IND	1988	8	41,5	45	37,50
3	1	IM	Fernandez Guillen, Ernesto J.	CUB	2481	6,5	43	46,5	30,50
4	7		Fellowes, Billy	ENG	1854	5	41,5	42	14,50
5	6		Murphy, Dara	IRL	1907	5	34	34,5	16,00
6	5		Bjorkman, Filip	SWE	1987	5	30	30,5	13,75
7	3		Burrows, Martin P	ENG	2083	4,5	46	49,5	21,25
8	11		Ferzli, Michael	LBN	1723	4,5	43,5	47	20,25
9	12		Banerjee, Aryan	SWE	1668	4,5	42	42,5	16,00
10	10		Carey, Michael	USA	1788	4,5	41	42,5	17,50

Details

Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy clinches Junior Blitz, Sahithi Varshini third

Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy scored 6/7 to win the Junior Blitz event on 17th December 2023. IM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR), FM Sahithi Varshini M and FM Anthony Atanasov (CAN) scored 5/7 each. They were placed second, third and fourth respectively according to tie-breaks. The time control was 5 minutes + 3 seconds increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	4		Ajay, Santhosh Parvathareddy	IND	2218	6	25	27	22,50
2	2	IM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	TUR	2359	5	27	29	18,50
3	6	FM	Sahithi, Varshini M	IND	2189	5	25	27,5	17,50
4	3	FM	Atanasov, Anthony	CAN	2355	5	24,5	28	19,50
5	7	FM	Ahmad, Khagan	AZE	2180	4,5	28,5	32	19,75
6	5	FM	Krishnan, Ritvik	IND	2193	4,5	28	31	17,75
7	14		Saydaliev, Akobirkhon	UZB	1679	4	27,5	29,5	14,00
8	18		Kalyani, Sirin	IND	1604	4	23	23	8,50
9	21		Abel, Sajan	IND	1544	4	21,5	24	12,00
10	12		Aarav, Sinha	IND	1788	4	16,5	16,5	7,50

Details

Blitz 17/12: Bharath Subramaniyam H third

IM James Morris (AUS) won the Blitz event on 17th December 2023. IM Almas Rakhmatullaev (UZB), GM Bharath Subramaniyam H and IM Mukhiddin Madaminov (UZB) scored 7.5/9 each. They were placed second to fourth respectively according to tie-breaks. The time control was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	14	IM	Morris, James	AUS	2427	8	47,5	52	46,00
2	40	IM	Rakhmatullaev, Almas	UZB	2218	7,5	50,5	53,5	39,75
3	13	GM	Bharath, Subramaniyam H	IND	2435	7,5	49	52	40,75
4	8	IM	Madaminov, Mukhiddin	UZB	2460	7,5	47,5	52	43,75
5	10	FM	Suyarov, Mukhammadzokhid	UZB	2449	7	49	53,5	38,00
6	2	GM	Ibarra Jerez, Jose Carlos	ESP	2634	7	47	50	37,00
7	1	GM	Dominguez Perez, Leinier	USA	2654	7	46,5	50,5	37,00
8	7	GM	Velten, Paul	FRA	2471	7	44	47	35,00
9	18	IM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	TUR	2359	7	43	45	32,50
10	42	IM	Abdurakhmonov, Mukhammadali	UZB	2214	6,5	51	55	38,75

Details

Fischer Random: Ritvik Krishnan second, Sham third

IM Ernesto J Fernandez Guillen (CUB) won the Fischer Random tournament on 18th December 2023 with a perfect 9/9. He finished a whopping two full points ahead of the rest. FM Ritvik Krishan and Sham R scored 7/9 each. They secured second and third place each respectively. The time control was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	1	IM	Fernandez Guillen, Ernesto J.	CUB	2436	9	40,5	44	47,00
2	3	FM	Krishnan, Ritvik	IND	2193	7	41,5	43	30,00
3	7		Sham, R	IND	1880	7	40,5	42	31,00
4	4	FM	Lopez Del Alamo, Antonio	ESP	2158	6	45	47,5	26,50
5	2	GM	Arkell, Keith C	ENG	2340	5	45,5	49	24,50
6	8		Goh, Jinghan Cameron	SGP	1797	5	40,5	42	16,00
7	9		Labrovic, Jakov	CRO	1790	5	33	34,5	15,50
8	6		Bryant, Harry	ENG	1883	4	41	42,5	15,50
9	5		Patel, Zain	ENG	1896	4	41	42,5	7,00
10	10		Izagirre Alsua, Aritz	ESP	1709	4	35,5	37	11,50

Details

Blitz 19/12: Iniyan second, Bharath third

FM Mukhammadzokhid Suyarov (UZB) scored an unbeaten 7.5/9 to win the Blitz event on 19th December 2023. GM Iniyan P, GM Bharath Subramaniyam H, IM Almas Rakhmatullaev (UZB) and Mandar Pradip Lad scored 7/9 each. They were placed second to fifth respectively as per tie-breaks. The time control of the event was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.

Blitz 19/12 Top 3 (L to R): 2nd GM Iniyan P 7/9, 1st FM Mukhammadzokhid Suyarov (UZB) and 3rd GM Bharath Subramaniyam H 7/9 | Photo: Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	3	FM	Suyarov, Mukhammadzokhid	UZB	2449	7,5	48	52	42,50
2	7	GM	Iniyan, Pa	IND	2420	7	51	55,5	41,75
3	5	GM	Bharath, Subramaniyam H	IND	2435	7	49,5	53	39,00
4	15	IM	Rakhmatullaev, Almas	UZB	2218	7	44,5	47	33,00
5	42		Lad, Mandar Pradip	IND	1730	7	42	42,5	33,50
6	11	IM	Prraneeth, Vuppala	IND	2276	6	47,5	50	27,75
7	6	IM	Morris, James	AUS	2427	6	47	51,5	32,50
8	2	IM	Madaminov, Mukhiddin	UZB	2460	6	47	50,5	30,25
9	10	FM	Fiorito, Francisco	ARG	2318	6	46	49	27,50
10	1	GM	Velten, Paul	FRA	2471	6	45,5	49,5	30,00

Details

A total of 327 players including 36 GMs, 45 IMs, 7 WGMs and 9 WIMs took part from 49 countries across the world in Group A. The tournaments were organized by Club d'Escacs Sunway Sitges and Penya d'Escacs Casino Prado Suburense from 12th to 22nd December 2023 at Hotel Sunway Playa Golf & Spa, Sitges, Barcelona in Spain. The time control of the Group A tournament was 90 min/40 moves + 30 min/rest + 30 sec. incr. per move starting move no. 1.

Round 10 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	5	GM	Murzin, Volodar	2627	7½	½ - ½	7½	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	2646	3
2	6	GM	Puranik, Abhimanyu	2627	7½	1 - 0	7½	GM	Sethuraman, S.P.	2582	11
3	65	IM	Krishna, C R G	2396	7	0 - 1	7	GM	Jacobson, Brandon	2538	17
4	19	GM	Vignesh, N R	2529	7	½ - ½	7	GM	Raja, Rithvik R	2500	31
5	35	IM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	2496	7	½ - ½	7	GM	Bharath, Subramaniyam H	2504	28
6	29	GM	Vetoshko, Volodymyr	2503	7	0 - 1	7	IM	Fernandez Guillen, Ernesto J.	2462	42
7	39	IM	Tiglon, Bryce	2485	7	½ - ½	6½	GM	Visakh, N R	2546	16
8	41	FM	Makkar, Rajat	2465	6½	1 - 0	6½	GM	Gorshtein, Ido	2523	20
9	21	GM	Pranesh, M	2523	6½	1 - 0	6½	FM	Bazakutsa, Svyatoslav	2457	44
10	52	IM	Bilych, Olexiy	2433	6½	0 - 1	6½	GM	Sankalp, Gupta	2523	22

Details

Final standings minus Play-off

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	RtgN	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	6	GM	Puranik, Abhimanyu	IND	2627	0		8,5	58	62,5	52,00
2	17	GM	Jacobson, Brandon	USA	2538	0		8	63	67,5	53,00
3	3	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	IND	2646	0	Chess Gurukul	8	62,5	67,5	53,00
4	5	GM	Murzin, Volodar	FID	2627	0		8	61,5	66,5	53,00
5	42	IM	Fernandez Guillen, Ernesto J.	CUB	2462	2477		8	57	61,5	46,50
6	11	GM	Sethuraman, S.P.	IND	2582	0		7,5	64	69	49,00
7	30	GM	Iniyan, Pa	IND	2500	0		7,5	61,5	65,5	45,25
8	39	IM	Tiglon, Bryce	USA	2485	0		7,5	61	64	46,25
9	35	IM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	TUR	2496	0		7,5	60,5	66	48,50
10	31	GM	Raja, Rithvik R	IND	2500	0		7,5	58	62	45,50
11	21	GM	Pranesh, M	IND	2523	0	Chess Gurukul	7,5	57,5	62,5	45,00
12	33	GM	Abdisalimov, Abdimalik	UZB	2496	0		7,5	57	61	41,75
13	19	GM	Vignesh, N R	IND	2529	0		7,5	56	60	43,50
14	22	GM	Sankalp, Gupta	IND	2523	0		7,5	54,5	58,5	43,75
15	28	GM	Bharath, Subramaniyam H	IND	2504	0	Chess Gurukul	7,5	53,5	58	42,25

Details

Prizes

Total Prize fund - €30050. For the entire prize details, click here.

Links

Official site

Tournament rules