Odisha youth Tapan Badamundi was crowned Category-B champion in the 1st SOA International Grand Masters Chess Festival at the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University in Bhubaneswar today. He scored 8.5 points out of a possible 10 to take home the trophy and a cash prize of Rs 75,000.

Sudhanshu Ranjan (Bihar) and Akshat Negi (Delhi) claimed the first and second runner-up prize of Rs 50,000 and Rs 40,000 respectively with eight points each. A total of 181 players from three countries participated in this 10-round competition, which carried a total prize fund of Rs 7.5 lakhs.

Meanwhile, Vignesh Advaith Vemula (Telangana) and FM Goutham Krishna H (Kerala) emerged joint-leaders in Category A with 4.5 points each after completion of fifth round today. The duo was followed by eight players, including top seed GM Diptayan Ghosh, with four points apiece. Competition in Category C, featuring a total of 304 players, will commence tomorrow.

The lucrative chess festival, offering a total cash prize of Rs 35 lakhs, is being organised by the All Odisha Chess Association (AOCA) in association with SOA. The International Chess Federation (ICF), All India Chess Federation (AICF), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Government of Odisha are supporting the tournament.

FINAL RANKINGS (Top 20): 1. Badamundi Tapan (Odisha 8.5), 2. Sudhanshu Ranjan (Bihar, 8), 3. Akshat Negi (Delhi, 8), 4. Kolla Bhaavan (Andhra Pradesh, 8), 5. Ashutosh Kumar (Bihar, 8), 6. Basak Bishal (West Bengal, 7.5), 7. Alluri Bhaskara Ratna (Andhra Pradesh, 7.5), 8. Sivathanujan S (Sri Lanka, 7.5), 9. Vyom Malhotra (Haryana, 7), 10. Srijon Saha (West Bengal, 7), 11. Lakshmi Charan Naidu G (Andhra Pradesh, 7), 12. Rishan Debnath (West Bengal, 7), 13. Ankit Chudasama (Gujarat, 7), 14. Sanjit Saha (West Bengal, 7), 15. Sahil Bheron (Haryana, 7), 16. Sathwik DSSU (Andhra Pradesh, 6.5), 17. Aditya Prasad (West Bengal, 6.5), 18. Fakir Majhi (Odisha, 6.5), 19. Himanshu Ranjan (Bihar, 6.5), 20. Rishideep Bordoloi (Assam, 6.5).
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PHOTO: Top three prize winners of Category B pose with guests at the 1st SOA International Grand Masters Chess Festival in Bhubaneswar on 31 January 2024.