Shocking Upsets Mark Opening Round of 360 One Masters Chess Tournament in Mumbai

Upsets Galore in Opening Round of 360 One Masters Chess Tournament in Mumbai

Mumbai: The prestigious 360 One Masters Chess tournament, boasting a prize pool of Rs 35 lakh, kicked off at the World Trade Centre with a flurry of unexpected results, leaving chess enthusiasts buzzing with excitement. Organized by the Indian Chess School, the Swiss League event saw several top-seeded players face surprising setbacks.

Major Surprises in Early Rounds

The tournament’s biggest shock came when Sri Lankan International Master (IM) L M S T De Silva delivered a stunning blow to second seed Grandmaster (GM) Sankalp Gupta, defeating him in a swift 26-move match. In another remarkable upset, 17-year-old IM Akshay Borgaonkar from Pune triumphed over third seed GM Abhijeet Gupta, a former World Junior champion. Additionally, IM Kaustuv Kundu showcased his prowess by overcoming Belarusian player Andrey Gorovets.

Higher-Rated Players Held to Draws

The opening rounds also featured several higher-rated overseas grandmasters struggling to secure victories. Fifth seed GM Luka Paichadze of Georgia was held to a draw by FIDE Master (FM) Adak Bivor, while ninth seed GM Boris Savchenko faced a similar fate against Daeevik Wadhawan. FM Vivaan Shah managed to earn a valuable draw against GM Aleksej Aleksandrov, and FM Kush Bhagat secured a commendable half-point against eighth seed IM Nitin Belurkar.

Top Seed Shows Resilience

Amidst the wave of upsets, top seed GM Iniyan Pa, the reigning National champion, demonstrated remarkable resilience. In a tense match against L Srihari, Iniyan turned a seemingly drawn position into a victory. Their Queen’s Gambit Declined gradually simplified into a rook-and-pawn ending, typically regarded as a theoretical draw. However, Iniyan’s relentless pressure paid off when Srihari made a critical error on the 64th turn. Seizing the opportunity, Iniyan created an unstoppable passed pawn, sealing his victory on the 74th turn.

Details of Key Matches

Sankalp Gupta found himself under pressure from the outset, facing a formidable attack from De Silva’s French Advance Defence. The Sri Lankan player effectively combined his queen, rook, and knights to launch a powerful offensive, ultimately leading to Gupta’s downfall.

As the tournament progresses, chess fans eagerly await the next rounds, hoping for more thrilling matches and unexpected twists.

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Published on: Friday, June 12, 2026, 01:42 PM IST