Anirudhha Potawad amazing at 1st Pinnacle Rapid Rating Open 2025

by Shahid Ahmed - 09/07/2025

FM Anirudhha Potawad scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to win 1st Pinnacle Rapid Rating Open 2025. He finished a half point ahead of the competition. IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh and IM Nikhil Dixit scored 8/9 each. They secured second and third place respectively. Nikhil also remained undefeated. The total prize fund was ₹300000. The top three prizes were ₹50000, ₹35000 and ₹20000 along with a trophy each. The one-day Rapid rating tournament was organized by Pinnacle Chess Events at Korum Mall in Thane, Maharashtra on 15th June 2025. This is Anirudhha's third overall, second rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: IA Mohit Ladhe/Pinnacle Chess Events

Anirudhha's second rating tournament triumph of the year

FM Anirudhha Potawad made a blazing start by winning eight games in-a-row. He had a full point lead heading into the last round. Eight players were trailing him by a full point including the top seed and a local from Thane, IM Krishnater Kushager. Anirudhha drew with CM Vedant Pimpalkhare to become a clear champion. IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh defeated Krishnater to secure second place. GM Sriram Jha lost to IM Nikhil Dixit who finished third.

Champion - Anirudhha Potawad 8.5/9 | Photo: IA Mohit Ladhe

Runner-up - IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh 8/9 | Photo: IA Mohit Ladhe

The top two finishers - 1st FM Anirudhha Potawad 8.5/9 and 2nd IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh 8/9 | Photo: Akshat Prajapati

Second Runner-up - IM Nikhil Dixit 8/9 | Photo: IA Mohit Ladhe

FM Anirudhha Potawad scored an unbeaten 8.5/9, finished a half point ahead of the rest and gained 35.2 Elo rating points

The tournament was inaugurated by the Chief Guest - Vikas Laddha, Korum Mall Head. He also distributed the prizes at the closing ceremony.

The tournament hall at Korum Mall in Thane, Maharashtra | Photo: IA Mohit Ladhe

Thanks to IA Mohit Ladhe, Tournament Director, for sharing photographs and information about the tournament.

Highlights | Video: ChessBase India Marathi

Various games | Video: ChessBase India Games

A total of 459 players including a GM, eight IMs and two WIMs took part from various parts of India and one from Saint Lucia, Netherlands, USA and Zambia each. The one-day nine round Rapid rating tournament was organized by Pinnacle Chess Events at Korum Mall in Thane, Maharashtra on 15th June 2025. The time control of the event was 10 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	FED	RtgI	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB5	TB6
1	11	FM	Potawad, Anirudhha			IND	2126	8,5	53	57	53,25	8	4
2	4	IM	Mohammad, Nubairshah Shaikh			IND	2250	8	51	54	47,00	8	4
3	9	FM	Dixit, Nikhil			IND	2145	8	49,5	53	47,00	7	5
4	25	ACM	Iyer, Arvind			IND	2009	8	48,5	53,5	47,25	7	3
5	16		Shah, Mihir			IND	2068	7,5	54,5	58,5	46,50	7	2
6	7	IM	Senthil, Maran K			IND	2168	7,5	53,5	58	46,25	7	5
7	18	IM	Ramnathan, Balasubramaniam			IND	2035	7,5	53	58	47,00	6	2
8	10	CM	Pimpalkhare, Vedant			IND	2130	7,5	53	57	46,25	7	3
9	14	CM	Soham, Datar			IND	2084	7,5	51,5	55,5	45,25	7	2
10	8	IM	Saravana, Krishnan P			IND	2153	7,5	50,5	55,5	45,50	6	2
11	19		Jaeel, Atharva			IND	2033	7,5	48,5	52	41,50	7	3
12	36		Mhamane, Sourabh			IND	1934	7,5	48	51	41,75	7	4
13	2	IM	Krishna, C R G			IND	2268	7,5	47	54,5	43,25	7	3
14	1	IM	Krishnater, Kushager			IND	2286	7	55,5	60,5	45,25	6	3
15	3	GM	Sriram, Jha			IND	2257	7	54,5	59,5	44,25	6	4
16	24	WIM	Parnali, S Dharia		w	IND	2017	7	52	56,5	42,00	7	4
17	6	FM	Aakash Sharadchandra, Dalvi			IND	2176	7	51,5	56	42,00	7	4
18	26	FM	Jaiveer, Mahendru			IND	2008	7	51,5	55,5	40,00	7	4
19	32		Chavan, Nameet			IND	1966	7	51	52,5	37,00	7	3
20	41	FM	Kshatriya, Nitin Vekhande			IND	1899	7	50,5	54,5	39,50	7	5
21	39		Ambarish, Sharma			IND	1920	7	50,5	54,5	39,00	7	4
22	40		Ankur, Mahesh Gokhale			IND	1902	7	50	53	37,50	7	2
23	20		Daksh, Goyal			IND	2023	7	49	53,5	40,00	7	4
24	43	CM	Bartakke, Amardeep S.			IND	1887	7	48	51	39,25	6	3
25	45		Kabnurakar, Rushikesh			IND	1862	7	47,5	49	34,00	7	3
26	47		Sarvade, Mihiir			IND	1843	7	47	48	33,50	7	4
27	101		Patkar, Samarth			IND	1598	7	45	48	33,50	7	3
28	5	FM	Dev, Shah			IND	2186	6,5	53	58	39,75	6	2
29	21		Arnav, Mahesh Koli	U15		IND	2021	6,5	52	57	39,00	6	3
30	27	FM	Deshpande, Aniruddha			IND	2003	6,5	52	54	36,00	6	4