Laxman R R wins Liberation Cup Rapid Rating Open 2023

by Shahid Ahmed - 05/01/2024

Five players - GM Laxman R R, IM Sharan Rao, Kartavya Anadkat, IM Nitish Belurkar and IM Sammed Shete scored 7.5/9 at Liberation Cup Rapid Rating Open 2023. Laxman won the tournament due to better tie-breaks. The remaining four were placed second to fifth respectively. Top four remained undefeated. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹200000. The top three prizes were ₹25000, ₹20000 and ₹15000 along with a trophy each. Laxman drew against both runner-up - Sharan and Kartavya. This was Laxman's sixth overall, third rating tournament triumph in 2023.

Top four score an unbeaten 7.5/9

IM Sharan Rao, GM Laxman R R and Kartavya Anadkat were the three leaders 7/8 heading into the last round. Sharan drew against Kartavya and Raghav Srivathsav V shared the point against Laxman. Laxman became champion, Sharan second and Kartavya third.

Champion - GM Laxman R R 7.5/9

Runner-up - IM Sharan Rao 7.5/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Second Runner-up - Kartavya Anadkat 7.5/9

Top 3 (L to R): 2nd IM Sharan Rao 7.5/9, 1st GM Laxman R R 7.5/9 and 3rd Kartavya Anadkat 7.5/9

GM Laxman R R scored an unbeaten 7.5/9, drew against both podium finishers

GM Laxman R R lighting up the lamp

Goa's very own IM Nitish Belurkar and GM Laxman R R making the inaugural first moves

The Arbiters' team | Photo: IA Nandhini Saripalli

Nandhini Saripalli became Goa's third overall and first female to achieve the International Arbiter title.

A total of 221 players including a GM and five IMs took part from three countries in the Rapid Rating Open tournament. The two-day nine round Rating tournament was organized by Queens Chess and Cultural Club at St. Michael's Community Centre Taliegao in Panjim, Goa on 18th and 19th December 2023. The time control of the event was 25 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB5
1	3	GM	Laxman R.R.			2216	ICF	7,5	55	60	49,00	6
2	6	FM	Sharan Rao			2154	Karnataka	7,5	55	59,5	48,25	6
3	8		Anadkat Kartavya			1938	Gujarat	7,5	53,5	55,5	44,25	6
4	1	IM	Nitish Belurkar			2321	Goa - Tiswadi	7,5	52,5	55,5	44,50	6
5	2	IM	Sammed Jaykumar Shete			2268	Maharashtra	7,5	51	53,5	43,00	7
6	5	FM	Ritviz Parab			2154	Goa	7	52	55	40,00	7
7	11		Devesh Anand Naik			1741	Goa	7	51,5	52,5	38,00	6
8	9		Raghav Srivathsav V			1868	Telangana	7	50	54	39,25	6
9	12	AGM	Sa Kannan			1737	Tamil Nadu	7	49,5	54	39,75	6
10	14		Paarth P Salvi			1694	Goa	7	49,5	53,5	39,00	6
11	25		Parab Rishikesh			1468	Goa	7	49	50,5	35,50	7
12	4	IM	Kulkarni Vikramaditya			2185	Maharashtra	7	48,5	52,5	39,25	6
13	24		Aryan Shamrao Raikar			1468	Goa	7	48	52	38,00	6
14	13		Bezstrakhov Dmitry			1699	Russia	6,5	52	56	38,00	6
15	21		Asmita Avijit Ray	U15F	w	1509	Goa	6,5	49,5	52	33,75	6
16	10		Varma Shabdhik			1845	Karnataka	6,5	49	50,5	33,75	6
17	37		Aaryavrat Rasiket Naik Desai	U9		1302	Goa	6,5	47,5	48,5	31,25	6
18	22	WCM	Chopdekar Gunjal		w	1499	Goa - Tiswadi	6,5	47	51	33,75	6
19	17		Dhrikshu K Vasant			1559	Karnataka	6,5	45,5	49,5	32,50	6
20	16		Suhas B. Asnodkar	S50		1572	Goa	6,5	44,5	47,5	31,50	6