Kashmir – The 2nd KASHMIR Open International FIDE Rating Chess Tournament concluded with great enthusiasm and success. The championship, organized by “The Kashmir Chess Club, Srinagar,” took place in the beautiful Indoor Hall at Polo Ground, Srinagar
The event, held in collaboration with the All J&K Chess Association and under the aegis of the J&K Sports Council, attracted 130 players from around the world, including participants from Russia and India.
The tournament witnessed the participation of 75 entries from Jammu and Kashmir, alongside players from 13 states of India, including CT, DL, GA, HP, HR, JH, JK, KA, MH, PB, RJ, UP, and WB. Among the participants, there were 48 FIDE-rated players and 72 unrated players. Notably, 21 female players took part in the event, adding to the diversity and inclusivity of the tournament.
Following the 6-day event, which featured a 9-round Swiss-League system, with a time control of 90 minutes per player and an increment of 30 seconds per move, the tournament offered a generous prize pool of two lakhs in Indian currency. Additionally, several age category children received trophies to commemorate their achievements.
The top seed of the tournament was Khudovekov Stanislav from Russia, boasting a formidable FIDE rating of 1967. Sumit Grover from Jammu and Kashmir, with a rating of 1959, and Samrat Ghorai from West Bengal, with a rating of 1902, were the 2nd and 3rd seeds of the event, representing India.
The tournament commenced on June 10th with a grand inauguration ceremony attended by esteemed guests, including Mr. Bilal Ahmad Bhat, DDC Vice Chairperson; Mr. Riyaz Ahmad Wani, Marketing Head of Jammu & Kashmir Bank; Mohammad Iqbal, Manager of Indoor Sports Stadium Polo View Srinagar; Mr. Adil Ashraf, President of The Kashmir Chess Club; and Mr. Khalid Amin Gojwari, General Secretary. The tournament was supervised by Mr. Pavan K Rathi, who served as the Chief Arbiter.
In a closely contested battle, Sumit Grover, Hasan Ashraf, and Pradeep Tiwari emerged as the top contenders, each scoring an impressive 7½ points. However, with superior tie-break scores, Sumit Grover secured the title of the 2nd KASHMIR Open International FIDE Rating Chess Tournament, Srinagar (JK) – 2023. Grover was awarded the Champion Trophy and a cash prize of INR 31,000/-. Hasan Ashraf from Uttar Pradesh claimed the runner-up position and received the Runner-up Trophy, along with a cash award of INR 21,000/-. Pradeep Tiwari from Delhi secured the third place and was honored with a cash prize of INR 11,000/-, in addition to a trophy.
In recognition of outstanding performances in different FIDE rating categories, Vaibhav Maurya from Uttar Pradesh secured the first place in the below 1200 category, Yitish Kumar Gangwani from Haryana triumphed in the 1201 to 1400 category, and Shailesh Bhate from Karnataka emerged victorious in the 1401 to 1650 category. Each winner received a cash prize of INR 10,000/- in their respective rating categories.
