Sharan Rao wins 24th Grand Hotel Adriatico Open 2022

by Shahid Ahmed - 07/10/2022

FM Sharan Rao scored an unbeaten 6.5/8 to win 24th Grand Hotel Adriatico Open 2022. He finished a half point ahead of the field. IM Miragha Aghayev (ITA) scored sole 6/8 to finish second. Four players finished at 5.5/8. Out of them, FM Antonio Loiacono (ITA) was placed third according to tie-breaks. He gained 27 Elo rating points in the process and won €500 along with a trophy as his first prize. This is Sharan's second overall, first Classical tournament victory of the year. He gained 17.8 Elo rating points at 26th HIT Open after this, taking his peak rating to 2350. The 21-year-old from Mangalore is final IM-norm and 50 rating points away from becoming India's next International Master. Photo: Fischer Scacchi Chieti

Sharan superb in Montesilvano, Italy

Sharan Rao started the year with one IM-norm and 2225 Elo rating. Nine months later, he has two IM-norms, career high rating of 2350 and two tournament triumphs in 2022. He is certainly having a fantastic 2022 and well on his way to become an International Master.

Champion - Sharan Rao 6.5/8 | Photo: Fischer Scacchi Chieti

Top 3 (L to R) - 3rd FM Antonio Loiacono (ITA), 1st FM Sharan Rao and 2nd IM Miragha Aghayev (ITA) | Photo: Fischer Scacchi Chieti

FM Sharan Rao in action against various opponents | Photo: Fischer Scacchi Chieti

The tournament hall at La Favorita, sports center in Splimbergo, Italy | Photo: Fischer Scacchi Chieti

For more photos, please click here.

A total of 40 players from Austria, Estonia, France and India took part in the Open A (>1800) category. The tournament was organized by Circolo Scacchi R. Fischer Chieti from 10th to 15th September at Grand Hotel Adriatico in Montesilvano, Italy. The eight-round Swiss league tournament had a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment.

Final standings

POS	PTS	TITLE	NAME	RTG	PERF.	BUC1	BUCT	ARO.
1	6.5	FM	Sharan Rao	2312	2448	34.00	36.50	2197.13
2	6	IM	Aghayev Miragha	2434	2349	34.50	38.50	2155.88
3	5.5	FM	Loiacono Antonio	2324	2356	37.50	41.00	2215.38
4	5.5	CN	D'Antonio Neri	2227	2288	35.00	36.50	2146.50
5	5.5	M	Orfini Nicolò	2219	2235	33.50	36.50	2094.00
6	5.5	1N	Martinelli Valeria	1957	2199	29.00	32.50	2058.38
7	5	FM	Loiacono Leonardo	2260	2233	37.50	41.50	2183.00
8	5	FM	Bettalli Francesco	2264	2269	35.00	37.50	2173.75
9	5	M	Hercegovac Neven	2107	2149	32.00	35.00	2054.13
10	5	M	Lagrotteria Salvatore	1991	2074	29.00	32.00	1978.75