Abhimanyu Puranik and Aronyak Ghosh NEW DELHI: The National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship concluded at Sarala Birla University, Ranchi, where over 400 players from across the country competed in intense matches that tested both speed and strategy. The tournament featured two formats in Blitz and Rapid and saw impressive performances from several top Indian players.In the blitz section, Grandmaster (GM) Abhimanyu Puranik became the champion after a thrilling finish.
Abhimanyu Puranik Exclusive: Chess Journey, Help Divya Deshmukh in World Cup, Grand Swiss and more
The Maharashtra player scored 9 points in 11 rounds to secure the title. The competition was extremely tight at the top, GM Sayantan Das of the Railway Sports Promotion Board also finished with 9 points. However, Puranik, who hails from Mumbai, secured the top spot with a better score in the tie-break. International Master (IM) Madhavan NB of Tamil Nadu finished third with 8.5 points, beating several players who also finished with the same score.The Blitz format required quick thinking and lightning-quick movements, making it a tough competition even for experienced grandmasters. Puranik showed remarkable composure under time pressure to come out on top in a field full of strong contenders.In the Rapid section, IM Aronyak Ghosh gave an excellent performance and won the title. The West Bengal player, who represented the Railway Sports Promotion Board, scored an impressive 9.5 points from 11 rounds and remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.The win is an important milestone for Ghosh, who is currently working towards his ultimate Grand Master standard. Meanwhile, Puranik’s triumph in the Blitz category further strengthens his reputation as one of India’s best players in fast chess formats.
