Gaurang Bagwe clinches 12th CircleChess Rapid Rating Open 2025

by Shahid Ahmed - 16/02/2025

FM Gaurang Bagwe scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to win 12th CircleChess Rapid Rating Open 2025. He finished a half point ahead of the field. Arnav Mahesh Koli and GM Laxman R R scored 8/9 each. They secured second and third place respectively according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹400000 + 130 trophies. The top three prizes were ₹30000, ₹25000 and ₹20000 along with a trophy each respectively. The one-day nine round Rapid Rating Open tournament was organized by CircleChess at Mahalaxmi Temple Bhavan in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra on 9th February 2025. This is Gaurang's second overall, first rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: Ravindra Potawad

Gaurang's second tournament triumph of the year

FM Gaurang Bagwe was the sole leader 7.5/8, going into the last round. Six players - Arnav Mahesh Koli, FM Jaiveer Mahendru, Aayush Kabra, Guru Prakash, GM Laxman R R and Arnav Kherdekar were trailing by a half point at 7/8 each. Arnav lost to Gaurang and the latter became champion. Jaiveer conceded a full point against Laxman who finished third. Aayush went down versus Arnav and he secured second place. Apart from Gaurang, Laxman also remained undefeated. Both had five game winning streak.

Champion - FM Gaurang Bagwe 8.5/9 | Photo: Ravindra Potawad

Runner-up - Arnav Mahesh Koli 8/9 | Photo: Ravindra Potawad

Second Runner-up - GM Laxman R R 8/9 | Photo: Ravindra Potawad

Top 3 (L to R): 3rd GM Laxman R R 8/9, 2nd Arnav Mahesh Koli 8/9 and 1st FM Gaurang Bagwe 8.5/9 | Photo: Ravindra Potawad

FM Gaurang Bagwe scored an unbeaten 8.5/9, finished a half point ahead of the field and gained 36 Elo rating points

Players in action | Photo: Ravindra Potawad

The tournament hall at Mahalaxmi Temple Bhavan in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra | Photo: Ravindra Potawad

Tournament overview | Video: ChessBase India Marathi

A total of 358 players including a GM and an IM took part from various places all over the country and one from the France. The one-day nine round Rapid Rating Open tournament was organized by CircleChess at Mahalaxmi Temple Bhavan in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra on 9th February 2025. The time control of the event was 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment from move no.1.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	FED	RtgI	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	3	FM	Bagwe, Gaurang		IND	2114	Maharashtra	8,5	47,5	50,5	47,25	8	5
2	7		Arnav, Mahesh Koli	U15	IND	1962	Maharashtra	8	55	60,5	53,00	8	4
3	1	GM	Laxman, R.R.		IND	2256	ICF	8	50	54	47,00	7	4
4	2	IM	Mohammad, Nubairshah Shaikh		IND	2233	Maharashtra	7,5	53,5	58,5	47,50	7	3
5	6		Chavan, Nameet		IND	1968	Maharashtra	7,5	51,5	54	44,00	7	4
6	17	CM	Bartakke, Amardeep S.		IND	1891	Maharashtra	7,5	49	53	43,00	7	3
7	14	FM	Jaiveer, Mahendru		IND	1912	Maharashtra	7	53,5	57,5	41,00	7	3
8	9		Guru, Prakash		IND	1944	Maharashtra	7	53,5	57	42,50	7	3
9	23		Aayush, Kabra		IND	1856	Maharashtra	7	52	57	42,50	6	3
10	12		Majumder, Shrayan		IND	1921	Maharashtra	7	52	57	42,00	6	4
11	10		Soni, Atharv	U15	IND	1928	Maharashtra	7	51	56	42,75	5	2
12	16		Kherdekar, Arnav		IND	1893	Maharashtra	7	51	56	41,25	6	2
13	19	AIM	Vivaan, Sardana	U15	IND	1878	Maharashtra	7	51	55	40,00	6	3
14	4	FM	Potawad, Anirudhha		IND	2037	Maharashtra	7	50	55	42,00	7	3
15	18	CM	Jaivardhan, Raj	U15	IND	1882	Maharashtra	7	49	54	41,00	7	2
16	41		Dharia, Vishal		IND	1745	Maharashtra	7	48	53	39,00	7	4
17	36		Godse, Anish		IND	1775	Maharashtra	7	48	52,5	38,75	6	2
18	69		Kadam, Atharv Ganesh	U15	IND	1636	Maharashtra	7	48	51	37,50	6	2
19	34		Anish, Naik		IND	1794	Goa	7	47,5	52,5	39,50	7	3
20	24		Soni, Sangharsh		IND	1855	Madhya Pradesh	7	47,5	51	37,00	7	2
21	32		Arjun, Singh	U11	IND	1797	Maharashtra	7	47	51	37,00	7	2
22	47		Aditya, Shardul Kadam	U13	IND	1719	Maharashtra	7	44,5	48,5	36,50	7	4
23	44		Bharadia, Madhav		IND	1724	Rajasthan	7	44,5	48,5	36,50	7	2
24	31		Laddad, Aadhavan Atish	U13	IND	1801	Maharashtra	7	44,5	48,5	36,00	7	5
25	54		Reyaansh, Venkat	U11	IND	1685	Maharashtra	7	44	47,5	35,50	6	3
26	40	AGM	Bhogal, Rupesh		IND	1753	Maharashtra	7	41,5	45,5	34,25	6	4
27	8	FM	Nagarkatte, Vedant		IND	1953	Maharashtra	6,5	56,5	62,5	42,50	6	3
28	22		Bartakke, Aditya		IND	1857	Maharashtra	6,5	49	53	35,25	6	2
29	28	AFM	Aahaan, Mathur	U13	IND	1814	Maharashtra	6,5	49	53	35,00	5	2
30	13		Gada, Om		IND	1918	Maharashtra	6,5	48,5	53	36,00	6	4