Vedant Panesar decimates 2nd G H Raisoni Memorial Pune Rapid Rating Open 2024

by Shahid Ahmed - 29/07/2024

Top seed FM Vedant Panesar scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to win 2nd G H Raisoni Memorial Pune Rapid Rating Open 2024. He finished a half point ahead of the competition. FM Nikhil Dixit and Bharat Kumar Reddy Poluri scored 8/9 each. They secured second and third place respectively according to tie-breaks. Vedant drew with the eventual runner-up Nikhil in the seventh round. Top three finishers remained undefeated. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹300000. The top three prizes were ₹51000 + trophy, ₹30000 and ₹26000 each respectively. The one-day rapid rating tournament was organized by G H Raisoni Sports and Cultural Foundation and Kalpana Prakash Welfare Foundation at G H Raisoni Institute of Engineering & Management in Pune, Maharashtra on 14th July 2024. This is Vedant's first rapid rating, third overall tournament triumph of the year. Photos: Bhushan Shriwas

Top seed domination

FM Vedant Panesar who is an IM-elect, was the sole leader 7.5/8, going into the final round. Six players - Bharat Kumar Reddy Poluri, IM Abhishek Kelkar, FM Nikhil Dixit, Om Nagnath Lamkane, Arnav Kherdekar and Satyam Warude were trailing by a half point at 7/8 each. Abhisek and Om Nagnath lost to Vedant and Bharat respectively. Vedant became a clear champion, Bharat third. Nikhil defeated Satyam to finish second. 12-year-old Prathamesh Sherla was the youngest to make a top ten finish. He scored 7.5/9 to secure sixth place.

Champion - FM Vedant Panesar 8.5/9 | Photo: Bhushan Shriwas

Runner-up - FM Nikhil Dixit 8/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Second Runner-up - Bharat Kumar Reddy Poluri 8/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

FM Vedant Panesar scored an unbeaten 8.5/9, finished a half point ahead of the field and gained 19.6 Elo rating points

Ashwin Trimal made the inaugural first move in presence of Bhushan Shriwas and other guests | Photo: Bhushan Shriwas

A total of 334 players including two IMs took part from various places all over the country, one from Sweden and three from the USA in this one-day nine round Rapid Rating Open tournament. It was organized by G H Raisoni Sports and Cultural Foundation and Kalpana Prakash Welfare Foundation at G H Raisoni Institute of Engineering & Management in Pune, Maharashtra on 14th July 2024. The time control of the event was 10 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	Gr	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB5
1	1	FM	Panesar, Vedant			IND	2218	Maharashtra	8,5	55	59	55,00	8
2	6	FM	Dixit, Nikhil		Pune	IND	2082	Maharashtra	8	53	57,5	49,25	7
3	3		Bharat, Kumar Reddy Poluri			IND	2171	Telangana	8	53	57	49,75	7
4	11	FM	Potawad, Anirudhha			IND	2000	Maharashtra	7,5	53	57	45,25	7
5	16	FM	Nagarkatte, Vedant			IND	1898	Maharashtra	7,5	49	53	43,00	7
6	13		Sherla, Prathamesh	U13	Pune	IND	1962	Maharashtra	7,5	49	52	42,50	6
7	9		Bhoir, Paras Dilip	U15		IND	2015	Maharashtra	7,5	47,5	51,5	41,75	7
8	4	IM	Abhishek, Kelkar			IND	2143	Maharashtra	7	53,5	58	42,75	6
9	8		Dere, Pushkar			IND	2036	Maharashtra	7	52,5	57	41,50	7
10	22		Om, Nagnath Lamkane		Pune	IND	1873	Maharashtra	7	51	55	38,50	7
11	35		Aadish, Shah	U15		IND	1780	Gujarat	7	48,5	52,5	38,25	6
12	24		Patil, Akshaj	U15	Pune	IND	1861	Maharashtra	7	48,5	51,5	37,00	7
13	18		Kherdekar, Arnav			IND	1897	Maharashtra	7	47,5	52	38,50	7
14	29		Rachit, H Gurnani			IND	1816	Maharashtra	7	47,5	52	38,00	7
15	17		Sharnarthi, Viresh	U15	Pune	IND	1898	Maharashtra	7	47,5	51,5	38,00	7