Friends Chess Club 1st International Open FIDE Rated Chess Tournament

Friends Chess Club, under the aegis of Coimbatore District Chess Association and Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, successfully organized the Friends Chess Club 1st International Open FIDE Rated Chess Tournament from 27th to 30th May 2025 at Kumaran Kottam, RVS College Campus, Sulur, Coimbatore.

The tournament was conducted as an open event under the Swiss system with 8 rounds. A total of 275 players from various parts of India, including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands participated in the event. Notably, Kavinaiiyan Meiyalagan from Korea also took part, adding an international flavor to the tournament. Out of the total participants, 138 were FIDE-rated players. The top seed of the event was Balkishan A. from Karnataka with a rating of 2145. The field also included 18 players rated above 1800, 7 players rated above 2000, 1 FIDE Master, 1 Candidate Master, and 29 players with Arena titles.

The tournament was inaugurated in the presence of Dr. Mohan, Honorable Principal of RVS Institutions, and Mr. Srivatsan, Executive Director of RVS Institutions. FA & FI Dhanasekar K, Secretary of the Coimbatore District Chess Association, IA Vijayaraghavan, Vice President of TNSCA, and the Chief Arbiter also participated and explained the rules and regulations to the players.

All rounds commenced on time and were conducted smoothly. After the completion of 8 rounds, three players – FM Aakash G. from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, Mr. Balkishan A. from Karnataka, and Mr. Dhanush Ragav N S from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu – remained undefeated with 7 points each (6 wins and 2 draws). Based on better tie-breaks, FM Aakash G. emerged as the Champion of the event and claimed the first prize of ₹50,000. Top-seeded Balkishan A. had to settle for the runner-up position and received ₹35,000. Dhanush Ragav N S, who was making a comeback after a five-month break from rated events, performed strongly to secure third place and won ₹25,000. Additionally, 7 players scored 6.5 points and were placed from 4th to 10th positions based on tie-breaks.

The prize distribution ceremony took place on 30th May 2025 at 5:30 PM. Dr. Mohan, Principal of RVS Engineering College, Sulur, was the chief guest. FA & FI Dhanasekar K guided the proceedings. Mr. Arumugam from Friends Chess Club, Mr. Mohammed Yousuf, IA Vijayaraghavan (Vice President, TNSCA), and the Chief Arbiter of the event participated and felicitated the prize winners. The event concluded at 7:00 PM.

FM Aakash G. added another title to his growing list of achievements which already includes titles in state age categories, open tournaments, and national events. The tournament witnessed enthusiastic support from parents and chess lovers. Special moments included Mrs. Leela Maheswari, proud mother of GM B. Adhiban, making the ceremonial first move on the top board. Though the climate was cool, the tension on the top boards kept the temperature high in the tournament hall.