Nitish Belurkar dominates Late Sunandabai Dayanand Bandodkar Memorial Blitz Rating Open 2024

by Shahid Ahmed - 07/10/2024

IM Nitish Belurkar scored an unbeaten 10.5/11 to win Late Sunandabai Dayanad Bandodkar Memorial Blitz Rating Open 2024. He finished a massive 1.5 points ahead of the field. Four players - Mandar Pradip Lad, Indrajeet Mahindrakar, Kiran Panditrao and Harish Sharma scored 9/11 each. They were placed second to fifth according to tie-breaks. Nitish defeated all of them. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹100000. The top three prizes were ₹12000, ₹10000 and ₹8000 along with a trophy each. The two-day eleven round Blitz tournament was organized by Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association on 19th and 20th September 2024 at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall in Panaji, Goa. This is Nitish's first rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Nitish beats all top six finishers

Top seed IM Nitish Belurkar scorched through the competition by scoring 10/10 and win the tournament with a round to spare. Mandar Pradip Lad was the sole player in pursuit at 8.5/10. Nitish drew his game against IM Abhishek Kelkar to become a clear champion. Mandar drew with Shriraj Bhosale to secure second place. Sudhir Kumar Sinha lost to Indrajeet Mahindrakar, thus the latter finished third.

Champion - IM Nitish Belurkar 10.5/11 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Runner-up - Mandar Pradip Lad 9/11 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Second Runner-up - Indrajeet Mahindrakar 9/11 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Top 3 (L to R): 2nd Mandar Pradip Lad 9/11, 1st IM Nitish Belurkar 10.5/11 and 3rd Indrajeet Mahindrakar 9/11 | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

L to R: Pallavi Kakodkar, Arvind Mhamal, Vishwas Pilankar, Mahesh Candolkar, Ashok Parab, Dattaram Pinge, FA Ram, Ranjan Singh, Naresh Pednekar, Atish Angle and Sushant Shenke.

The prizes were distributed by Guest - Mahesh Candolkar, Tournament Director and President, GCA, in presence of Mr. Ashok Parab, Member Secretary IMB, Vishwas Pilankar, Treasurer, GCA, IA Arvind Mhamal, Chief Arbiter, Dattaram Pinge, Secretary TTCA and others.

IM Nitish Belurkar scored an unbeaten 10.5/11, finished a whopping 1.5 points ahead of others and gained 19.2 Elo rating points

The tournament was inaugurated by Mr. Mahesh Candolkar, President, Goa Chess Association in presence of IA Arvind Mhamal, Chief Arbiter and Vice President, GCA, FA Dattaram Pinge, Deputy Arbiter and TTCA Secretary.

Inauguration Ceremony | Photo: IA Arvind Mhamal/Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association

Thanks to the Chief Arbiter - IA Arvind Mhamal, Vice President, Goa Chess Association, for sharing photographs and information about the tournament.

A total of 214 players including a GM and two IMs took part from all over the country in this two-day eleven round Blitz Rating Open tournament. It was organized by Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall in Panaji, Goa on 19th and 20th September 2024. The time control of the event was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB5
1	1	IM	Nitish Belurkar			2355	Goa_Tiswadi	10,5	83	88	83,75	10
2	2		Lad Mandar Pradip			2277	Goa_Bardez	9	78,5	81,5	62,75	8
3	8		Mahindrakar Indrajeet			2035	Maharashtra	9	77	82	62,50	9
	13	AGM	Kiran Panditrao			1912	Pune-Mah	9	77	82	62,50	9
5	7		Sharma Harish			2044	Delhi	9	76,5	79,5	61,50	9
6	5		Bhosale Shriraj			2062	Maharashtra	8,5	78,5	84,5	61,50	8
7	4	IM	Abhishek Kelkar			2149	Maharashtra	8,5	75,5	80,5	59,25	8
8	34	AFM	Vaz Edrick	U15		1742	Goa_Salcete	8,5	68	71	52,25	8
9	9		Nithin Babu			1972	Kerala	8	83	86	59,50	8
10	3	GM	Roy Chowdhury Saptarshi			2274	RSPB	8	77,5	78,5	53,50	8
11	27		Kambli Datta			1791	Goa_Mormugao	8	74,5	79,5	53,00	8
12	32		Anubhab Gupta			1753	W B	8	74,5	79,5	51,50	8
13	6		Sinha Sudhir Kumar			2061	Bihar	8	73,5	79	54,50	7
14	29		Farhaan M			1788	T N	8	73	77	51,50	8
15	25		Shejal Sahil Sanjay			1799	Maharashtra	8	72,5	75,5	50,25	7
16	26		Rupam Mukherjee			1797	W B	8	70,5	73,5	48,50	8
17	24		Kochrekar Vishwesh			1803	Mum-Mah	8	68	72,5	48,00	8
18	87		Vihaan Tari	U09		1453	Goa_Tiswadi	8	66	72	50,00	8
19	40		Kirpesh I			1671	T N	8	66	70	47,00	8
20	20		Karan J P			1852	Kerala	7,5	74,5	79,5	48,25	7
21	16	AIM	Pankaj Bhat			1885	Karnataka	7,5	73,5	75,5	46,50	7
22	11		Bezstrakhov Dmitry			1955	FIDE	7,5	72,5	78	51,25	7
23	39		Kabnurakar Rushikesh			1678	Maharashtra	7,5	72	76	48,50	7
24	38	WCM	Chopdekar Gunjal		w	1700	Goa_Tiswadi	7,5	70	75	49,75	7
25	14		Nikam Ravindra			1908	Maharashtra	7,5	65,5	71	47,25	7