Levan Pantsulaia wins KCA God’s Own Country’s 1st GM Open 2025

by R Anantharam - 08/05/2025

GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) made another quick draw against IM Rajesh Vav to win KCA's God's Own Country's 1st GM Open 2025. IM Semetei Tologon Tegin (KGZ) defeated GM Alexei Fedorov to finish second. Both Levan and Semetei scored 8.5/10 each. However, Levan became champion due to better tie-break score, Semetei had to be content with the runner-up place. GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM) drew with GM Manuel Petrosyan (ARM) to finish third 8/10. IM Rajesh Vav is the top Indian finisher 8/10. GM Deepan Chakkravarthy, IM Mehar Chinna Reddy C H and GM Laxman R R are the remaining three Indians to make a top ten finish. They scored 7.5/10 each to be placed sixth, eighth and tenth respectively. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹2000000 in Category A. The top three prizes were ₹300000, ₹200000 and ₹150000. Photo: IA R Anantharam

Rajesh Vav is the top Indian finisher

Grandmaster Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) added one more title to his collection when he won the KCA’s 1st International Chess Festival – Category A Tournament, organised by Kottayam Chess Academy, today. It is the second title of the season after winning the 2nd Namma Bengaluru GM 2025 last month. IM Semetei Tologon Tegin (KGZ) also scored 8.5 points, as much as that of Levan but had to be content with the runner-up spot, due to inferior tie break score. While Pantsulaia collected three lacs rupees as the first prize, Tologon received two lacs rupees.

Champion - GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) 8.5/10 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Runner-up - IM Semetei Tologon Tegin (KGZ) 8.5/10 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Top seed GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM), GM Boris Savchenko and in-form International Master Rajesh Vav of South Central Railway scored eight points each and finished third, fourth and fifth respectively.

Second Runner-up - GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM) 8/10 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

The top three finishers (L to R): 3rd GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM) 8/10, 1st GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) 8.5/10 and 3rd IM Semetei Tologon Tegin (KGZ) 8.5/10 with guests | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Former minister of Kerala Government and sitting MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan distributed the prizes to the winners in the presence of R Rajesh, Chairman, Arbiters’ Commission Chairman and also the Tournament Director.

GM Boris Savchenko defeated his fellow compatriot - IM David Gochelashvili to finish fourth | Photo: IA R Anantharam

GM Deepan Chakkravarthy defeated Ahaz E U to finish sixth | Photo: IA R Anantharam

GM Manuel Petrosyan (ARM) claimed seventh place after a draw against his compatriot - GM Karen Grigoryan (ARM) | Photo: IA R Anantharam

IM Mehar Chinna Reddy C H was placed eighth after his win over Karan J P | Photo: IA R Anantharam

GM Karen Movsziszian (ARM) finished ninth after winning his final round game against Jaidambareesh N R | Photo: IA R Anantharam

GM Laxman R R defeated Shlok Sharnarthi to finish tenth | Photo: IA R Anantharam

A total of 234 players including 16 GMs, 12 IMs and a WIM took part from 13 countries across the world. The eight-day ten round GM tournament was organized by Kottayam Chess Academy from 30th April to 7th May 2025 at The Courtyard Banquet Hall Kanjikuzhi in Kottayam, Kerala. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

Replay Round 10 games

Round 10 results

Bo.	No.		White	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	No.	PGN
1	3	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan		2532	GEO	8	½ - ½	7½	IM	Rajesh, V A V		2331	SCR	15	PGN
2	1	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.		2556	ARM	7½	½ - ½	7	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel		2544	ARM	2	PGN
3	8	GM	Fedorov, Alexei		2396	BLR	7	0 - 1	7½	IM	Tologon Tegin, Semetei		2358	KGZ	12	PGN
4	22	IM	Gochelashvili, David		2227	RUS	7	0 - 1	7	GM	Savchenko, Boris		2459	RUS	4	PGN
5	36		Karan, J P		2067	KER	6½	0 - 1	6½	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.		2418	SCR	6	PGN
6	7	GM	Movsziszian, Karen		2417	ARM	6½	1 - 0	6½		Jaidambareesh, N R		2037	TN	45	PGN
7	24		Ahaz, E U		2191	KER	6½	0 - 1	6½	GM	Deepan, Chakkravarthy J.		2394	ICF	9	PGN
8	39	IM	Sarwat, Walaa		2047	EGY	6½	½ - ½	6½	GM	Podolchenko, Evgeniy		2307	BLR	18	PGN
9	19	GM	Laxman, R.R.		2290	ICF	6½	1 - 0	6½		Sharnarthi, Shlok		1991	MAH	55	PGN
10	5	GM	Sanikidze, Tornike		2448	GEO	6	1 - 0	6	AIM	Arul, Prakash N		2075	TN	34	PGN
11	46	FM	Ramakrishna, J.		2032	UBI	6	0 - 1	6	IM	Schekachikhin, Maksim		2370	FIDE	10	PGN
12	11	GM	Nguyen, Van Huy		2363	VIE	6	1 - 0	6		Abhishek, T M		2044	KER	41	PGN
13	13	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat		2352	UZB	6	1 - 0	6		Siddhanth, Poonja		2046	KAR	40	PGN
14	43		Jyotshnav, Talukdar		2040	ODI	6	0 - 1	6	IM	Nitin, S.		2331	TN	14	PGN
15	58		Swayham, P Das		1968	GUJ	6	½ - ½	6	FM	Sanz Wawer, Daniel		2316	ESP	16	PGN

Details

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5	TB6	Rp	n	w	we	w-we	K	rtg+/-
1	3	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan			GEO	2532	GEO	8,5	63	68	55,75	0	7	3	2465	10	8,5	8,12	0,38	10	3,8
2	12	IM	Tologon Tegin, Semetei			KGZ	2358	KGZ	8,5	58,5	62,5	52,75	0	8	5	2382	10	8,5	7,16	1,34	10	13,4
3	1	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.			ARM	2556	ARM	8	65	68,5	52,00	0	7	4	2493	10	8	7,70	0,30	10	3
4	4	GM	Savchenko, Boris			RUS	2459	RUS	8	59,5	63,5	49,50	0	7	4	2329	10	8	8,35	-0,35	10	-3,5
5	15	IM	Rajesh, V A V			IND	2331	SCR	8	59	63	47,75	0	7	3	2373	10	8	6,59	1,41	10	14,1
6	9	GM	Deepan, Chakkravarthy J.			IND	2394	ICF	7,5	57,5	62	45,50	0	6	4	2317	10	7,5	7,56	-0,06	10	-0,6
7	2	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel			ARM	2544	ARM	7,5	57,5	62	45,50	0	6	2	2285	10	7,5	8,45	-0,95	10	-9,5
8	6	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.			IND	2418	SCR	7,5	54,5	58	42,50	0	7	3	2191	10	7,5	8,86	-1,36	10	-13,6
9	7	GM	Movsziszian, Karen			ARM	2417	ARM	7,5	53,5	58	42,75	0	6	3	2195	10	7,5	8,96	-1,46	10	-14,6
10	19	GM	Laxman, R.R.			IND	2290	ICF	7,5	53,5	57,5	42,25	0	6	1	2149	10	7,5	8,10	-0,60	10	-6
11	13	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat			UZB	2352	UZB	7	61	65	42,75	0	6	3	2279	10	7	7,13	-0,13	10	-1,3
12	22	IM	Gochelashvili, David			RUS	2227	RUS	7	60,5	66,5	45,00	0	5	2	2291	9	6	5,07	0,93	10	9,3
13	11	GM	Nguyen, Van Huy			VIE	2363	VIE	7	58,5	63,5	42,50	0	5	3	2248	10	7	7,67	-0,67	10	-6,7
14	21	GM	Teterev, Vitaly			BLR	2266	BLR	7	58,5	63,5	40,50	0	6	2	2220	10	7	6,97	0,03	10	0,3
15	8	GM	Fedorov, Alexei			BLR	2396	BLR	7	57	61	40,50	0	5	3	2178	10	7	8,32	-1,32	10	-13,2

Details

About the Author

Prof. Rathinam Anantharam is an A-grade international arbiter. Member of FIDE Arbiters’ Commission, Chairman of Titles Commission in All India Chess Federation, Vice President of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, Chief Arbiter for six world championships, many Asian, International and National Championships. Nominated as one of the top seven arbiters in the world for the past hundred years by FIDE.

The report was edited by Shahid Ahmed