Viani Antonio Dcunha dominates Akshayakalpa Organic Karnataka State Open Rating 2023

by Shahid Ahmed - 31/05/2023

IM Viani Antonio Dcunha drew his final round game against FM Yashas D to become Akshayakalpa Organic Karnataka State Open 2023 champion. He scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 and finished a half point ahead of the field. The last time Viani played Karnataka State Championship was back in 2017. Then also he was the top seed and won the tournament by scoring an unbeaten 8.5/10. His opponent Yashas was placed second. Balkishan Anand, GM Thej Kumar and Chinmay Kowshik also scored 8/9 each. They were placed third to fifth according to tie-breaks. Akshayakalpa Organic Co-Founder and CEO lived up to his oath and scored 5/9. He also ensured that the next year's State Championship will also be sponsored by his company. All photos in this article are by Shahid Ahmed.

Viani's second State Open unbeaten triumph

The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹1000000. The top three prizes were ₹100000, ₹70000 and ₹55000 along with a trophy each. 11-year-old Chinmay Kowshik became the youngest player to make a top ten finish. He scored 8/9 to finish fifth. 103-seeded 13-year-old Abhimaan S Nair scored 7.5/9 to finish ninth. Interviews of the top three finishers, Chinmay, top female finisher, Shashi Kumar, FM Arvind Shastry, Anand (Father of Karnataka's latest GM Pranav Anand) and many more interviews and game videos will be published soon.

Champion - IM Viani Antonio Dcunha 8.5/9

Runner-up - FM Yashas D 8/9

Second Runner-up - Balkishan Anand 8/9

Top 3 (L to R) - 2nd FM Yashas D, 1st IM Viani Antonio Dcunha and 3rd Balkishan Anand

The top four finishers with the organizers, sponsors and guests

Each trophy has been meticulously designed. The champion's trophy contains a king, runner-up has queen, second runner-up rook and fourth bishop. One can easily figure out the reasoning behind it. The trophies are not only beautiful and heavy but also thoughtfully designed.

Akshayakalpa Organic is the main sponsor of Karnataka State Open Chess Championship 2023 | Photo: Akshayakalpa Organic

FM Yashas D and IM Viani Antonio Dcunha had a relatively quiet draw

Thej Kumar - Augustin

Position after 10...0-0

GM Thej Kumar (2384) decided to sacrifice his queen for a rook and bishop against Augustin A (1953) 11.exd6 Re8 12.Qxe8+ Qxe8 13.Be3 while there was nothing immediate for White, it was not easy to get play for Black. White went on to win the game after Black blundered in the endgame.

GM Thej Kumar defeated Augustin A to finish fourth

Balkishan Anand won against Shet Prajwal P to finish third

Chinmay Kowshik got better of Sathvik Adiga to finish fifth

Parthasarathy - Niranjan

Position after 39...Nd7

39...Nd7 fork and discover attack left Parthasarathy R's (1938) queen, rook and bishop hanging. He had no choice but to sacrifice his queen 40.Qxe6+ Qxe6 41.Rxd8 cxd3 42.cxd3 Kf7 43.Bxf8 Nxf8 44.d4 Qa6 and soon White's rook got trapped.

Position after 49...Kg7

50.Rxf8 Kxf8 and White should be able to hold a fortress with his knights while ensuring Black does not get a breakthrough with his pawns. It sounds easier in theory, practically it is quite difficult especially when you are getting low on time and your opponent is a strong FM FT Niranjan Navalgund (2200). White eventually gave up on the knight fortress and his opponent broke through with his king and queen. Try to figure out what were the best possible knight fortresses White could have built to prevent the black king's entry.

Parthasarathy R had one of the most interesting games against FM FT Niranjan Navalgund in a rare endgame

Bharat Singh Chauhan, Chairman of FIDE Advisory Board and Shashi Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of Akshayakalpa, made the ceremonial first move of Akshayakalpa Organic Karnataka State Open Rating 2023 Round 9

Photo Gallery

Shashi Kumar was conferred with the title of - Green Ambassador of Karnataka for Chess

The Arbiters team (L to R) - SNA Shripad Hegde, Chief Arbiter IA Promoraj Moree and Deputy Chief Arbiter FA Basavaraja M

The all-women organizing team of BUDCA with Chief Arbiter IA Promodraj Moree, KSCA Secretary FM Arvind Shastry and KSCA Vice President Vinay Kurtkoti

Prize distribution ceremony photos

4th GM Thej Kumar 8/9

5th Chinmay Kowshik 8/9

6th FM Sharan Rao 7.5/9

7th FM FT Niranjan Navalgund 7.5/9

7th Likhit Chilukuri 7.5/9

Both Niranjan and Likhit had all three tie-break scores exactly the same

9th Abhimaan S Nair 7.5/9

10th Shet Prajwal P 7/9

Top female finisher: 18th Swara Lakshmi S Nair 7/9

Best Veteran - Upendra K 6.5/9

Best Woman - Nisha N Patkar 6/9

For more Round 9 and Prize distribution ceremony photos, please click at the respective links.

More videos and prize distribution ceremony photos will be published soon, stay tuned.

Round 9 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Typ	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Typ	Rtg	No.
1	3	FM	Yashas, D.		2315	7½	½ - ½	8	IM	Viani, Antonio Dcunha		2417	1
2	2	GM	Thejkumar, M. S.		2384	7	1 - 0	7		Augustin, A		1953	12
3	19		Balkishan, A.		1817	7	1 - 0	7		Shet, Prajwal P		2096	7
4	33		Chinmay, Kowshik	U13	1604	7	1 - 0	6½		Sathvik, Adiga	U13	1906	16
5	5	FM	Sharan, Rao		2248	6½	1 - 0	6½		Dhanush, Ram M		1601	34
6	13		Parthasarathy, R		1938	6½	0 - 1	6½	FM	Navalgund, Niranjan		2200	6
7	10		Apoorv, Kamble	U15	1981	6½	0 - 1	6½		Abhimaan, S Nair	U15	1300	103
8	11		Likhit, Chilukuri		1976	6½	1 - 0	6½		Pranav, A J		1588	36
9	45		Dhrikshu, K Vasant		1515	6½	0 - 1	6		Sudarshan, Bhat		2020	9
10	50		Samuel, Mathew	U15	1472	6	0 - 1	6		Akshay, V Halagannavar		1933	14
11	21		Gavi, Siddayya		1764	6	1 - 0	6		Nachiketh, Adiga		1464	51
12	52		Matthew, R Joseph	U15	1452	6	0 - 1	6		Leelajai, Krishna N		1756	22
13	53		Aryagopal,		1449	6	0 - 1	6		Swara, Lakshmi S Nair	F18	1693	23
14	54		Adrij, Bhattacharyya	U13	1438	6	1 - 0	6		Vivekananda, L		1687	24
15	25		Shree, Krishna Pranama		1654	6	1 - 0	6	AIM	Sushrutha, Reddy		1428	56
16	55		Medhansh, Rathi	U15	1435	6	1 - 0	6		Siddhanth, Poonja	U11	1648	26
17	59		Raveesh, Kote	U15	1417	6	0 - 1	6		Dilip, Kumar Pedda		1641	28
18	29		Nitish, Bhat		1627	6	1 - 0	6		Aditya, Saxena	U13	1404	64
19	67		Niranjan, J Warrier	U15	1398	6	½ - ½	6		Ajith, M.P.		1626	30
20	77		Aradyo, Bhattacharyya	U13	1373	6	½ - ½	6	AFM	Sureka, Akshat	U15	1560	39

Details

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	1	IM	Viani, Antonio Dcunha			2417	DK	8,5	53	58	54,50	0	8
2	3	FM	Yashas, D.			2315	Bengaluru Urban	8	51,5	55,5	49,00	0	7
3	19		Balkishan, A.			1817	Mysore	8	50,5	55	48,50	0	8
4	2	GM	Thejkumar, M. S.			2384	Mysore	8	49,5	50,5	44,50	0	7
5	33		Chinmay, Kowshik	U13		1604	BUB	8	46,5	49,5	44,00	0	8
6	5	FM	Sharan, Rao			2248	DK	7,5	51,5	52	41,25	0	7
7	6	FM	Navalgund, Niranjan			2200	Belgaum	7,5	50	55	45,25	0	7
	11		Likhit, Chilukuri			1976	Bengaluru Urban	7,5	50	55	45,25	0	7
9	103		Abhimaan, S Nair	U15		1300	BUB	7,5	45,5	48,5	40,75	0	7
10	7		Shet, Prajwal P			2096	Mysore	7	53	58	43,75	0	6
11	12		Augustin, A			1953	Kodagu	7	53	55,5	39,50	0	7
12	9		Sudarshan, Bhat			2020	Bengaluru Urban	7	51	55	37,75	0	6
13	55		Medhansh, Rathi	U15		1435	BUB	7	49,5	53	40,75	0	6
14	21		Gavi, Siddayya			1764	Bengaluru Urban	7	49,5	53	37,50	0	7
15	46		Aarav, Saish Amonkar	U11		1512	BUB	7	49	52	37,25	0	6
16	28		Dilip, Kumar Pedda			1641	Bengaluru Urban	7	48,5	52,5	38,00	0	7
17	42		Sumeetkumar, M S			1520	Karwar	7	48	51,5	38,50	0	7
18	29		Nitish, Bhat			1627	Uttar Kannada	7	48	51	38,50	0	6
19	23		Swara, Lakshmi S Nair	F18	w	1693	BUG	7	48	49,5	35,00	0	7
20	25		Shree, Krishna Pranama			1654	BUB	7	47	50	38,50	0	6
21	54		Adrij, Bhattacharyya	U13		1438	DK	7	46,5	50,5	37,00	0	7
22	22		Leelajai, Krishna N			1756	Koppa	7	45,5	49,5	36,00	0	7
23	148		Avyan, Shah	U13		1189	BUB	7	43	46	33,00	0	7
24	14		Akshay, V Halagannavar			1933	Dharwad	7	40,5	42,5	34,00	0	7
25	109		Aneesh, Krishna S			1285	BUB	7	38	40	29,50	0	7
26	10		Apoorv, Kamble	U15		1981	BUB	6,5	53	56	38,75	0	6
27	34		Dhanush, Ram M			1601	DK	6,5	50,5	54	35,75	0	6
28	13		Parthasarathy, R			1938	Bengaluru Urban	6,5	50	52,5	33,75	0	6
29	67		Niranjan, J Warrier	U15		1398	BUB	6,5	49	51,5	34,25	0	6
30	16		Sathvik, Adiga	U13		1906	Bengaluru Rural	6,5	48,5	53	34,25	0	6