Ajay Karthikeyan clinches 1st RCA Rapid Rating Open 2023

by Shahid Ahmed - 08/04/2023

IM Ajay Karthikeyan scored an unbeaten 7.5/8 to win 1st RCA Rapid Rating Open 2023. He finished a half point ahead of the competition. Six players - IM FT Muthaiah Al, GM Laxman R R, Lokesh N, IM Hari Madhavan N B, IM Sai Agni Jeevitesh J and IM P Saravana Krishnan scored 7/8 each. They were placed second to seventh respectively according to tie-breaks. Apart from Lokesh and Saravana, the remaining five among top seven, remained undefeated. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹200000. The top three prizes were ₹25000 + trophy, ₹20000 and ₹15000 each respectively. The one-day rapid rating tournament organized by Rajam Chess Academy witnessed the participation of 337 players including a GM and 8 IMs. Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

Ajay's third tournament victory in March

Former National Sub-Junior Open champion, IM Ajay Karthikeyan won the South Zone and All India Inter University Men Team Chess Championship 2023, just days before winning this event. He remained undefeated in all three of his triumphs. This is first individual tournament victory of the year. The last individual tournament Ajay won was in August 2021 where he scored his maiden GM-norm. Five players were on 6.5/7 heading into the final round. IM Muthaiah and IM Sai Agni drew with GM Laxman and IM Hari Madhavan respectively. FM Prasannaa lost to IM Ajay, thus he became a clear champion, without the need of any tie-breaks.

Champion - IM Ajay Karthikeyan 7.5/8 | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

Runner-up - IM FT Muthaiah Al 7/8 | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

Second Runner-up - GM Laxman R R 7/8 | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

IM Ajay Karthikeyan scored an unbeaten 7.5/8, drew with the eventual runner-up IM Muthaiah Al in the penultimate round

Round 8: IM FT Muthaiah Al - GM Laxman R R: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

Top boards during the last round | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

Players in action | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

The tournament hall at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

Trophies for the prize winners | Photo: Rajashree Muralidaran/Rajam Chess Academy

A total of 337 players including a GM and 9 IMs took part in this one-day eight-round Swiss league Rapid Rating tournament which was organized by Rajam Chess Academy on 25th March 2023 at Hall of Chess, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The time control for the event was 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment from move no.1.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	3	IM	Ajay Karthikeyan	IND	2285	TN	7,5	41,5	42,5	39,00	0	7
2	1	IM	Muthaiah Al	IND	2316	TN	7	42	46	38,75	0	6
3	5	GM	Laxman R.R.	IND	2232	ICF	7	41,5	45,5	39,25	0	6
4	10		Lokesh N.	IND	2084	TN	7	41	45	39,00	0	7
5	2		Hari Madhavan N B	IND	2289	TN	7	40,5	45	38,75	0	6
6	9	IM	Sai Agni Jeevitesh J	IND	2159	TEL	7	39,5	43	36,25	0	6
7	8	IM	Saravana Krishnan P.	IND	2189	TN	7	37,5	41,5	35,50	0	7
8	16		Arnav Maheshwari	IND	1933	TN	6,5	40	43,5	34,50	0	6
9	18	IM	Ravi Thandalam Shanmugam	IND	1930	TN	6,5	40	43,5	33,00	0	6
10	22	FM	Ayushh Ravikumar	IND	1825	TN	6,5	39,5	43,5	33,50	0	6
11	24		Arun R U	IND	1806	TN	6,5	39	42,5	32,75	0	6
12	21	FM	Vinoth Kumar M.	IND	1854	TN	6,5	38	42,5	33,25	0	6
13	28		Sham R	IND	1773	TN	6,5	37	40	29,50	0	6
14	4	IM	Harikrishnan.A.Ra	IND	2282	TN	6,5	36,5	40,5	32,50	0	6
15	19		Gugan G	IND	1927	TN	6,5	35,5	39,5	32,25	0	6
16	11	FM	Prasannaa.S	IND	2056	TN	6	41,5	45,5	31,50	0	6
17	29		Vijay Shreeram P	IND	1760	TN	6	41,5	45	29,50	0	6
18	15	AGM	Vignesh B	IND	1938	TN	6	39,5	43,5	30,75	0	5
19	37		Ajjesh J R	IND	1589	TN	6	39	43	30,00	0	6
20	12		Surendran N	IND	2056	TN	6	39	42	30,00	0	6
21	33		Poorna Sri M.K	IND	1623	TN	6	39	42	28,50	0	6
22	32		Sivan S Roshan	IND	1658	TN	6	39	41	27,50	0	5
23	7	FM	Ashwath R.	IND	2204	TN	6	38,5	41,5	29,00	0	5
24	17		Manigandan S S	IND	1933	TN	6	38	42	28,50	0	6
25	27		Hari Ganesh T	IND	1780	TN	6	38	42	28,00	0	6
26	20	IM	Ramnathan Balasubramaniam	IND	1889	TN	6	37,5	41	29,00	0	6
27	43		Femil Chelladurai	IND	1521	TN	6	37,5	40,5	28,50	0	5
28	35		Sanjay Thiruvengadam	IND	1604	TN	6	37	41	30,00	0	6
29	101		Ravada Karthikesava	IND	1258	TN	6	36	40	27,00	0	6
30	95		Pon Balaji N	IND	1278	TN	6	35,5	38,5	26,25	0	5