Likhit Chilukuri becomes the Akshayakalpa Karnataka State Chess Champion
Nine rounds of closely contested chess battles at the Akshayakalpa Karnataka State Championship came to a successful end on Sunday. Out of the hard-fought competition, it was 21-year-old Likhit Chilukuri who emerged as the clear champion with 8.5/9 points. Prachura P.P. and Parthasarathy R. followed him closely just half a point behind with 8.0/9 each, finishing second and third respectively. WIM Isha Sharma suffered a shock defeat in the penultimate round in the hands of Jagadish P and ended up finishing fourteenth. Thus, the event didn't turn out to be a memorable one for the top seed. In this final article our author Hinduja Reddy brings you the highlights of all the important moments from the last day of the tournament.
Likhit, Prachura, Parthasarathy, and Keshav to represent Karnataka in the National Premier Chess Championship
The Akshayakalpa Karnataka State Open Chess Championship came to conclusion here at Silicon City Academy of Secondary Education, Bengaluru on Sunday. 21-year-old Likhit Chilukuri clinched the title with a whopping 8.5 points out of possible nine after defeating his final round opponent Rakshith Srinivasan. Pocketing Rs. 40,000 as cash prize and a glittering trophy, Likhit employed the Tarrasch Variation of the French defense against Rakshith in the opening with the white pieces. He got his chances early in the game and converted the advantage into a winning opposite coloured bishop ending which went on for seventy moves until Black resigned.
With eight points in the kitty, the second seeded Prachura P Padakannaya finished as first runner-up after scoring a point against Raghavendra V in the final round. Parthasarathy R climbed up the leaderboard beating Manasa K. and even matched Prachura's score but had to be satisfied with the second runner-up position on the basis of tie breaks. Prachura became richer by Rs. 35,000 while Parthasarathy R went back home with a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.
Likhit Chilukuri, Prachura P.P, Parthasarathy R and Keshav Kothari will represent Karnataka in the upcoming National Premier Chess Championship which is set to take place in December 2019.
In the glittering closing ceremony Sri Hanumantha R, President of UKCA, gave away the trophies and cash prizes to the winners in presence of Shri. Anand Yadwad, Marketing Head of Akshayakalpa Organic Dairy.
Check out all photos of the colourful prize distribution in the Facebook album below:
Priyadarshan Banjan who has been the manager of Nihal Sarin since the last 4-5 years answered questions of parents/players on various aspects of developing a chess career. This was a particularly interesting and enlightening session for everyone.
Video gallery
Hear Mrs Sujatha speak about her daughter's love for chess and what they enjoy about Akshayakalpa tournaments!
Akshayakalpa's young customer tells why he loves playing chess!
Another young customer has a very unique reason for why he plays chess. Listen to him!
Mr Pradeep has been Akshayakalpa's customer for some months and talks about how Akshayakalpa is building a chess culture in Bangalore and why his kids love Akshayakalpa Organic Milk products.
A customer and chess parent tells that she is happy Akshayakalpa delivers what it promises.
Mr Makrand says his son was very excited to play the tournament. He adds that after tasting the sample, he is definitely going to subscribe to Akshayakalpa Organic Milk.
Results of round eight
Bo. | No. | Name | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 17 | AIM | Kaushik G Iyer | 1788 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | Likhit Chilukuri | 1926 | 8 | |
2 | 9 | Rakshith Srinivasan | 1899 | 6½ | 1 - 0 | 6½ | Ajith Chandy Jose | 0 | 248 | ||
3 | 14 | Jagadish P | 1829 | 6 | 1 - 0 | 6 | WCM | Sharma Isha | 2182 | 1 | |
4 | 15 | Sudarshan Bhat | 1815 | 6 | 0 - 1 | 6 | Prachura P.P. | 2130 | 2 | ||
5 | 5 | Parthasarathy R | 1984 | 6 | 1 - 0 | 6 | Chincholimath Halsagar | 1812 | 16 | ||
6 | 41 | Devi Das Suresh Pai | 1615 | 6 | 0 - 1 | 6 | Varma Shabdhik | 1947 | 6 | ||
7 | 7 | Santoshkashyap Hg | 1931 | 6 | ½ - ½ | 6 | Anantharam R U | 1763 | 23 | ||
8 | 10 | Sharan Rao | 1894 | 6 | ½ - ½ | 6 | Keshav Kothari | 1775 | 20 | ||
9 | 12 | Raghavendra V. | 1865 | 6 | 1 - 0 | 6 | Arnav Muralidhar | 1739 | 26 | ||
10 | 13 | Manasa K. | 1830 | 6 | 1 - 0 | 6 | Bachikar Girish | 1698 | 29 |
Results of round nine
Bo. | No. | Name | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 8 | Likhit Chilukuri | 1926 | 7½ | 1 - 0 | 7½ | Rakshith Srinivasan | 1899 | 9 | ||
2 | 2 | Prachura P.P. | 2130 | 7 | 1 - 0 | 7 | Raghavendra V. | 1865 | 12 | ||
3 | 13 | Manasa K. | 1830 | 7 | 0 - 1 | 7 | Parthasarathy R | 1984 | 5 | ||
4 | 6 | Varma Shabdhik | 1947 | 7 | ½ - ½ | 7 | Jagadish P | 1829 | 14 | ||
5 | 24 | Shiva S | 1756 | 6½ | ½ - ½ | 6½ | Santoshkashyap Hg | 1931 | 7 | ||
6 | 32 | Vaibhav Kalpaka | 1675 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | Sharan Rao | 1894 | 10 | ||
7 | 248 | Ajith Chandy Jose | 0 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | AIM | Kaushik G Iyer | 1788 | 17 | |
8 | 34 | ACM | Anil Thungesh | 1665 | 6½ | ½ - ½ | 6½ | Teja Kirthi | 1785 | 18 | |
9 | 89 | Ruthvik R | 1324 | 6½ | 0 - 1 | 6½ | Gavi Siddayya | 1783 | 19 | ||
10 | 20 | Keshav Kothari | 1775 | 6½ | 1 - 0 | 6½ | AIM | Sushrutha Reddy | 1617 | 40 |
Standings and crosstable
Rk. | Name | Rtg | 1.Rd | 2.Rd | 3.Rd | 4.Rd | 5.Rd | 6.Rd | 7.Rd | 8.Rd | 9.Rd | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | |
1 | Likhit Chilukuri | 1926 | 184w1 | 121b1 | 70w1 | 22b1 | 17w½ | 58b1 | 10w1 | 5b1 | 6w1 | 8,5 | 0,0 | 51,5 | 59,0 | |
2 | Prachura P.P. | 2130 | 283w1 | 128b1 | 43w0 | 193b1 | 102w1 | 57b1 | 24w1 | 49b1 | 23w1 | 8,0 | 0,0 | 45,5 | 53,0 | |
3 | Parthasarathy R | 1984 | 469b+ | 147b1 | 140w1 | 13b0 | 40w1 | 136w1 | 33b1 | 59w1 | 21b1 | 8,0 | 0,0 | 44,5 | 51,5 | |
4 | Keshav Kothari | 1775 | 118w1 | 238b1 | 61w1 | 57b1 | 56w1 | 14b½ | 12w½ | 9b½ | 31w1 | 7,5 | 0,0 | 48,5 | 55,5 | |
5 | AIM | Kaushik G Iyer | 1788 | 173b1 | 117w1 | 36b1 | 52w1 | 92b½ | 91w1 | 18b1 | 1w0 | 30b1 | 7,5 | 0,0 | 47,5 | 56,0 |
6 | Rakshith Srinivasan | 1899 | 369b1 | 157w1 | 44b1 | 31w1 | 35b1 | 18w½ | 32b1 | 30w1 | 1b0 | 7,5 | 0,0 | 47,0 | 55,5 | |
7 | Jagadish P | 1829 | 206w1 | 257b1 | 80w1 | 8b0 | 46w1 | 56b1 | 137w1 | 14w1 | 11b½ | 7,5 | 0,0 | 46,5 | 54,0 | |
8 | Amith A | 1525 | 253b1 | 205w1 | 158b1 | 7w1 | 15b½ | 32w0 | 76b1 | 91w1 | 34b1 | 7,5 | 0,0 | 45,5 | 53,0 | |
9 | Sharan Rao | 1894 | 470w+ | 350w1 | 116b1 | 60w1 | 91b½ | 51w1 | 17b½ | 4w½ | 35b1 | 7,5 | 0,0 | 45,0 | 52,5 | |
10 | Gavi Siddayya | 1783 | 276b1 | 151w1 | 38b1 | 62w1 | 136b½ | 92w1 | 1b0 | 51w1 | 36b1 | 7,5 | 0,0 | 44,0 | 52,5 |
Complete results and standings
About the author
Hinduja is a 24-year-old Chess Entrepreneur who lives in Bengaluru. She is a former National Women's B bronze medalist, chess writer, coach and co-founder of ChessMine events.