Sinhagad, 19th August 2023: The 60th National Chess Championship witnessed an upset as Shriraj Bhosale, a 1930-rated player from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, triumphed over IM Devaki Prasad V from Karnataka, who held a higher rating of 2254. Bhosale, playing with the black pieces, managed to outwit his titled opponent in an intense 59-move game. This unexpected victory showcased Bhosale’s exceptional skills and contributed to Maharashtra’s commendable performance in the championship.
In the fourth round of matches, the spotlight fell on the top seed, GM Abhijeet Gupta, who had faced a setback in the previous round. Paired against GM Slayer Balkishan A, who had earlier defeated GM P. Karthikeyan, Gupta showcased his prowess by clinching victory in just over an hour. Playing with the black pieces, Gupta justified his top seeding by overpowering Balkishan.
Meanwhile, GM Abhimanyu Puranik, occupying board 1 with a perfect score of 3/3, demonstrated his technical finesse by defeating his opponent in a strategically calculated game. Throughout the match, Puranik exhibited control and confidence, securing his lead in the tournament.
On board 3, a draw transpired between IM Nitin S and the legendary GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly. Nitin initially held a slight advantage in the middle game, but the balance shifted as he exchanged his powerful queen for Ganguly’s less influential one, resulting in an equal position.
FM Dhananjay S., who had previously triumphed over the top seed GM Abhijeet Gupta, played on board 11 in the current round. He engaged in a tense match against GM Venkatesh M.R. from PSPB, ultimately reaching a draw. Dhananjay’s strategic moves during the middle game ensured a balanced outcome.
Here are the results of the 4th Round, highlighting both white and black sides of the matches:
- Abhimanyu Puranik (4pts) (AAI) defeated Arghyadip Das (3pts) (RSPB).
- Srihari LR (3pts) (TN) lost to Sethuraman S.P. (4pts) (PSPB).
- Nitin S. (3.5pts) (RSPB) drew with Surya Shekhar Ganguly (3.5pts) (PSPB).
- Soham Kamotra (3.5pts) (J&K) drew with Diptayan Ghosh (3.5pts) (WB).
- Mitrabha Guha (4pts) (WB) defeated Krishna CRG (3pts) (RSPB).
- Utsab Chatterjee (3pts) (WB) lost to Iniyan P (4pts) (TN).
- Vignesh NR (4pts) (RSPB) defeated Utkal Sahoo (3pts) (ODI).
- Aakash Dalvi (3pts) (MAH) lost to Sayantan Das (4pts) (RSPB).
- Deep Sengupta (4pts) (PSPB) defeated Rajesh Nayak (3pts) (ODI).
- Akash G (3pts) (TN) lost to Praveen Kumar C (4pts) (TN).
- Dhananjay S (3.5pts) (CHAT) drew with Venkatesh M.R. (3.5pts) (PSPB).
- Anuj Shrivatri (3.5pts) (MP) drew with Bhaavan Kolla (3.5pts) (AP).
- Visakh N.R. (3pts) (RSPB) drew with Indrajeet Mahindrakar (3pts) (MAH).
- Sudhir Kumar Sinha (2.5pts) (BIH) lost to Aronyak Ghosh (3.5pts) (RSPB).
- Aanjaneya Phatak (2.5pts) (MAH) lost to Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (3.5pts) (RSPB).
- Neelash Saha (3.5pts) (RSPB) defeated Siddhant Gawai (2.5pts) (MAH).
- IM Prasad Devaki V (2.5pts) lost to Shriraj Bhosale (3.5pts).
The 60th National Chess Championship continues to unfold with gripping matches, unexpected results, and the display of exceptional chess skills by participants from across the nation.
