Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: IM Ayush Sharma (FIDE rating 2469, Madhya Pradesh) emerged victorious in the Late Shri Manohar Parrikar 3rd Goa International Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament 2025, scoring an impressive 8.5 points out of 10 rounds. The tournament, held from January 11 to 19, 2025, at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Taleigao, Goa, witnessed intense competition from top-rated chess players from around the globe. IM Slizhevsky Alexander (FIDE rating 2340, Russia) secured the second position with 8 points, while IM Tologon Tegin Semetei (FIDE rating 2351, Kyrgyzstan) finished in third place with 7.5 points. The 4th to 7th places were won by GM Sethuraman S.P. (FIDE rating 2560, Tamil Nadu), IM Aronyak Ghosh (FIDE rating 2544, RSPB), GM Savchenko Boris (FIDE rating 2481, Russia), and Goa’s IM Ethan Vaz (FIDE rating 2412, Goa) – all scoring 7.5 points. GM Fedorov Alexei (FIDE rating 2409, Belarus), IM Kushagra Mohan (FIDE rating 2412, Telangana), and FM Mohamed Anees M (FIDE rating 2334, Tamil Nadu) secured the 8th to 10th spots with identical scores of 7.5 points, showcasing the high level of competition. GM Diptayan Ghosh (FIDE rating 2569, RSPB), the highest-rated player of the tournament, finished in 11th place with 7 points.
The winners were awarded cash prizes during a glittering prize distribution ceremony graced by Union Minister of State Shripad Naik, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Govind Gaude, AICF Treasurer Dharmendra Kumar, and Goa Chess Association officials, including President Mahesh Candolkar, Secretary Ashesh Keni, Treasurer Vishwas Pilankar, and Vice President Arvind Mhamal. The top four players were awarded cash prizes of ₹4.5 lakhs, ₹3.5 lakhs, ₹2.5 lakhs, and ₹2 lakhs, respectively, from a total prize pool of ₹25 lakhs for Category A.
The final round featured gripping games on the top boards. IM Ayush Sharma clinched victory with a decisive win over GM Sethuraman S.P., securing his first-place finish. IM Tologon Tegin Semetei and IM Aronyak Ghosh played to a tense draw, while IM Ethan Vaz held IM Slizhevsky Alexander to a draw in another tightly contested match. GM Fedorov Alexei (Belarus) secured a win against GM Mitrabha Guha (West Bengal), while IM Agibileg Uurtsaikh (Mongolia) drew with GM Diptayan Ghosh (RSPB).
Among other Goan players, IM Ritviz Parab (FIDE rating 2371) displayed commendable skill, finishing in 27th place with 6.5 points, including a victory in the final round against IM Ratnakaran K. IM Ameya Audi (FIDE rating 2422) secured 34th place with 6 points, despite a tough final round loss against IM Nitin S. GM Anurag Mhamal (FIDE rating 2499), Goa’s first Grandmaster, showcased his prowess, also finishing with 6 points in 41st place, defeating Mehta Naitik R in the last round.
The Late Shri Manohar Parrikar 3rd Goa International Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament 2025 was organized by the Goa Chess Association in aegis with the All India Chess Federation (AICF). The event showcased exceptional chess talent and reaffirmed Goa’s growing reputation as a hub for high-level chess tournaments.
