KCA 1st GM R5-6: Aakash and Balkishan best Karthikeyan and Tornike

by R Anantharam - 04/05/2025

GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO), GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM) and GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB) are the three leaders 5.5/6 at KCA's God's Own Country's 1st GM 2025. WIM Diajeng Theresa Singgih's (INA) winning streak came to an end as she lost both of her games against Levan and GM Karen Movsziszian (ARM). One of the leaders after fourth round, IM Rajesh Vav had a tough day. He lost to Karen and then drew the following game. FM Aakash G had a great day as he defeated GM P Karthikeyan and drew with GM Van Huy Nguyen (VIE). Balkishan A drew with GM Deepan Chakkravarthy before finishing the day with a win over GM Tornike Sanikidze (GEO). Both Aakash and Balkishan are at 5/6 each with IM Mehar Chinna Reddy C H. These three are currently the top Indian performers after Round 6. Round 7 starts today at 10 a.m. IST. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Pantsulaia, Grigoryan and Dzhumaev in a three-way lead

Top seed GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM) and GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) jointly share the lead with a full score of five points, at the end of the fifth round of the KCA’s 1st International Chess Festival – Category A Tournament, organised by Kottayam Chess Academy. Four players – FM Aakash G of Tamil Nadu, GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB), GM Boris Savchenko and GM Van Huy Nguyen (VIE) are trailing with 4.5 points each.

Round 5: Aakash wins a back and forth battle against P Karthikeyan

IM Rajesh Vav (2324) played well against the top seed of the tournament, GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM, 2530). The game reached a relatively balanced rook and knight endgame where the defender needed to play carefully.

Position after 47...Nc7

White needed to prioritize stopping the passed a-pawn 48.Nd4 Rc3 49.Kh2 could have been played. 48.g4? Nd5 49.Ra7?? just gave Black the decisive advantage Nb4-+ 50.Nxg7 Nc6 51.Rc7 a2 52.Nf5+ Kh8 and Black won.

IM Rajesh Vav suffered a tough loss against GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM) | Photo: IA R Anantharam

WIM Diajeng Theresa Singgih's (INA) great winning streak came to an end against GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Ahaz E U had a well contested draw against GM Karen Mosziszian (ARM) | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Balkishan A (pictured) - GM Deepan Chakkravarthy: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Aakash - P Karthikeyan

Position after 21.Ne4!

21.Ne4! is an excellent move by the reigning Tamil Nadu State Champion, FM Aakash G (2114). The a1-rook is laced with poison. Before capturing it, Black needed to get rid of the e4-knight first 21...Rxe4 22.Qxe4 Qxa1+ is the way. 21...Qxa1+? 22.Ke2 Ke7 23.Qg5+ now Kd7 and Black is fine. However, 23...f6?? was the final mistake 24.Qf5 Qb2+ 25.Kf3 white king is safe here. 25...Bb8 26.Nxf6!! and it's over. A fantastic finish by Aakash.

FM Aakash G won a back and forth battle with a beautiful finish against GM P Karthikeyan | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Round 6: Coleaders Karen and Levan split the point

GM Karen Grigoryan (ARM) - GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB) thwarted GM Boris Savchenko's attack on the kingside.

GM Boris Savchenko's attack on the kingside did not work out against GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB) | Photo: IA R Anantharam

GM Van Huy Nguyen (VIE) - FM Aakash G: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Tornike - Balkishan

Position after 51...Kd4

GM Tornike Sanikidze (GEO, 2441) blundered 52.Rb4+?? Balkishan A (2145) forced rook trade 52...Rc4 53.Rxc4+ dxc4 and the newly created passed c-pawn played a pivotal role in Balkishan earning a victory.

GM Deepan Chakkravarthy - Krishay Jain: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Abhishek T M - IM Rajesh Vav: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

Afreed T Khan - GM Manik Mikulas (SVK): 1-0 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

IM Mohsen Elgabry (EGY) - Ajish Daniel: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

A total of 234 players including 16 GMs, 12 IMs and a WIM are taking part from 13 countries across the world. The eight-day ten round GM tournament is being 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 is 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

Replay Round 5-6 games

Round 6 results

Bo.	No.		White	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	1	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.		2556	ARM	5	½ - ½	5	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan		2532	GEO	3
2	13	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat		2352	UZB	4½	1 - 0	4½	GM	Savchenko, Boris		2459	RUS	4
3	11	GM	Nguyen, Van Huy		2363	VIE	4½	½ - ½	4½	FM	Aakash, G		2100	TN	30
4	18	GM	Podolchenko, Evgeniy		2307	BLR	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel		2544	ARM	2
5	5	GM	Sanikidze, Tornike		2448	GEO	4	0 - 1	4		Balkishan, A.		2134	KAR	26
6	6	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.		2418	SCR	4	1 - 0	4		Ahaz, E U		2191	KER	24
7	7	GM	Movsziszian, Karen		2417	ARM	4	1 - 0	4	WIM	Singgih, Diajeng Theresa		1931	INA	64
8	21	GM	Teterev, Vitaly		2266	BLR	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Fedorov, Alexei		2396	BLR	8
9	9	GM	Deepan, Chakkravarthy J.		2394	ICF	4	½ - ½	4		Krishay, Jain		1891	WB	79
10	22	IM	Gochelashvili, David		2227	RUS	4	½ - ½	4	IM	Schekachikhin, Maksim		2370	FIDE	10
11	27	IM	Sangma, Rahul		2121	Rlys	4	0 - 1	4	IM	Tologon Tegin, Semetei		2358	KGZ	12
12	41		Abhishek, T M		2044	KER	4	½ - ½	4	IM	Rajesh, V A V		2331	SCR	15
13	14	IM	Nitin, S.		2331	TN	3½	1 - 0	4		Sathyachith, E M		1801	KER	120
14	50	CM	Chinmay, Kowshik		2011	KAR	3½	0 - 1	3½	FM	Sanz Wawer, Daniel		2316	ESP	16
15	17	GM	Karthikeyan, P.		2312	ICF	3½	1 - 0	3½		Kolla, Bhaavan		2032	AP	47

Details

Standings after Round 6

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	Rp	n	w	we	w-we	K	rtg+/-
1	3	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan		GEO	2532	GEO	5,5	25	2487	6	5,5	4,97	0,53	10	5,3
2	1	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.		ARM	2556	ARM	5,5	23	2554	6	5,5	4,91	0,59	10	5,9
3	13	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat		UZB	2352	UZB	5,5	22,5	2448	6	5,5	4,71	0,79	10	7,9
4	11	GM	Nguyen, Van Huy		VIE	2363	VIE	5	25	2278	6	5	5,13	-0,13	10	-1,3
5	7	GM	Movsziszian, Karen		ARM	2417	ARM	5	22,5	2233	6	5	5,39	-0,39	10	-3,9
6	30	FM	Aakash, G		IND	2100	TN	5	22	2260	6	5	3,77	1,23	20	24,6
7	26		Balkishan, A.		IND	2134	KAR	5	21	2319	6	5	3,63	1,37	20	27,4
8	12	IM	Tologon Tegin, Semetei		KGZ	2358	KGZ	5	20,5	2152	6	5	5,38	-0,38	10	-3,8
9	6	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.		IND	2418	SCR	5	19,5	2216	6	5	5,35	-0,35	10	-3,5
10	9	GM	Deepan, Chakkravarthy J.		IND	2394	ICF	4,5	23,5	2173	6	4,5	5,28	-0,78	10	-7,8
11	25	IM	Sharma, Dinesh K.		IND	2164	UP	4,5	23,5	2198	6	4,5	3,95	0,55	10	5,5
12	28		Majumder, Shrayan		IND	2110	MAH	4,5	23,5	2191	6	4,5	3,76	0,74	20	14,8
13	4	GM	Savchenko, Boris		RUS	2459	RUS	4,5	23	2187	6	4,5	5,24	-0,74	10	-7,4
14	22	IM	Gochelashvili, David		RUS	2227	RUS	4,5	23	2263	5	3,5	3,10	0,40	10	4
15	21	GM	Teterev, Vitaly		BLR	2266	BLR	4,5	22,5	2250	6	4,5	4,14	0,36	10	3,6

Details

Round 7 pairings

Bo.	No.		White	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Typ	Rtg	Club/City	No.
1	3	GM	Pantsulaia, Levan		2532	GEO	5½		5½	GM	Dzhumaev, Marat		2352	UZB	13
2	12	IM	Tologon Tegin, Semetei		2358	KGZ	5		5½	GM	Grigoryan, Karen H.		2556	ARM	1
3	26		Balkishan, A.		2134	KAR	5		5	IM	Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H.		2418	SCR	6
4	30	FM	Aakash, G		2100	TN	5		5	GM	Movsziszian, Karen		2417	ARM	7
5	2	GM	Petrosyan, Manuel		2544	ARM	4½		5	GM	Nguyen, Van Huy		2363	VIE	11
6	4	GM	Savchenko, Boris		2459	RUS	4½		4½	GM	Laxman, R.R.		2290	ICF	19
7	8	GM	Fedorov, Alexei		2396	BLR	4½		4½	IM	Gochelashvili, David		2227	RUS	22
8	9	GM	Deepan, Chakkravarthy J.		2394	ICF	4½		4½	GM	Teterev, Vitaly		2266	BLR	21
9	10	IM	Schekachikhin, Maksim		2370	FIDE	4½		4½	IM	Sharma, Dinesh K.		2164	UP	25
10	28		Majumder, Shrayan		2110	MAH	4½		4½	IM	Nitin, S.		2331	TN	14
11	15	IM	Rajesh, V A V		2331	SCR	4½		4½	FM	Matta, Vinay Kumar		2054	UBI	37
12	16	FM	Sanz Wawer, Daniel		2316	ESP	4½		4½		Abhishek, T M		2044	KER	41
13	67		Afreed, T Khan		1921	AP	4½		4½	GM	Karthikeyan, P.		2312	ICF	17
14	79		Krishay, Jain		1891	WB	4½		4½	GM	Podolchenko, Evgeniy		2307	BLR	18
15	61		Gowrishankar, Jayaraj		1943	KER	4		4	GM	Sanikidze, Tornike		2448	GEO	5

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