Pranav Venkatesh aces Promethean Rapid Rating Open 2023

by Shahid Ahmed - 03/03/2023

GM Pranav Venkatesh scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to clinch Promethean Rapid Rating Open 2023. He started with eight straight wins and gained a full point lead heading into the final round. Since a draw in the final round was enough for him to become champion, he drew with the eventual runner-up IM Rathanvel V S. Three more players IM Mehar Chinna Reddy C H, IM Ratnakaran K and IM Nitin S scored 7.5/9 each. They were placed third to fifth respectively according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹500000. The top three prizes were ₹51000 + trophy, ₹41000 and ₹31000 each respectively. This is Pranav's first rating tournament victory of 2023. Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

Only GMs and IMs in top 11

It is rare to see only GMs and IMs make a top ten finish in an open rating tournament. In this event, the first eleven places were claimed by either a GM or an IM. 12th and 13th are the only two places which were secured by a neither a GM nor an IM. FM Ritviz Parab and Sai Vishwesh C were placed 12th and 13th respectively scoring 7/9 each. 14th - 17th were once again claimed by three IMs and a GM. That definitely tells a lot about how strong this event was.

Champion - GM Pranav Venkatesh 8.5/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

Runner-up - IM Rathanvel V S 7.5/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

Second Runner-up - IM Mehar Chinna Reddy C H 7.5/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

GM Pranav Venkatesh scored eight straight wins and drew his last round game against the eventual runner-up IM Rathanvel V S to win the tournament

4th IM Ratnakaran K 7.5/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

5th IM Nitin S 7.5/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

6th IM FT Harikrishnan A Ra 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

7th IM Ravi Teja S 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

8th IM Ameya Audi 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

9th GM Laxman R R 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

10th IM Ajay Karthikeyan 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

11th IM Avinash Ramesh 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

12th FM Ritviz Parab 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

13th Sai Vishwesh C 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

14th IM Anwesh Upadhyay 7/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

15th IM Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad 6.5/9 | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

A glimpse of the tournament hall at Virginia Mall in Bangalore, Karnataka | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

Trophies for the prize winners | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

Parents and accompanying persons | Photo: NA Sushruta Reddy

For more photos, please click here.

A total of 197 players including 3 GMs and 15 IMs participated from various parts of the country in this two-day nine-round Swiss league Rapid Rating tournament. The tournament was organized by Innovators Chess Academy on 12th February 2023 at Virginia Mall in Bangalore, Karnataka. The time control for the event was 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB5
1	1	GM	Pranav V			IND	2449	8,5	53,5	58,5	54,75	8
2	7	IM	Rathanvel V S			IND	2326	7,5	51,5	56	45,50	6
3	9	IM	Mehar Chinna Reddy C.H.			IND	2318	7,5	50	55	44,75	7
4	15	IM	Ratnakaran K.			IND	2224	7,5	48	52	41,75	7
5	11	IM	Nitin S.			IND	2292	7,5	47	51,5	41,75	7
6	8	IM	A.R.A Harikrishna			IND	2324	7	52	56	40,50	6
7	3	IM	Ravi Teja S.			IND	2360	7	50,5	54	39,25	6
8	10	IM	Audi Ameya			IND	2309	7	50	53	39,50	7
9	14	GM	Laxman R.R.			IND	2241	7	49,5	54,5	39,75	6
10	6	IM	Ajay Karthikeyan			IND	2338	7	49	53	41,00	7
11	16	IM	Avinash Ramesh			IND	2211	7	48,5	51,5	37,50	6
12	13	FM	Ritviz Parab			IND	2248	7	47,5	51	37,00	7
13	20		Sai Vishwesh.C			IND	2123	7	46,5	50,5	35,50	7
14	5	IM	Anwesh Upadhyaya			IND	2345	7	46	50	35,50	7
15	2	IM	Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad			IND	2388	6,5	51	55,5	39,25	6