Nitin Belurkar Falls to Manuel Petrosyan at Maharashtra International Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament

Nitin Belurkar’s Streak Ends at Maharashtra International Open Grandmaster Chess

Pune, Apr 25 (PTI) — In a thrilling turn of events at the Maharashtra International Open Grandmaster Chess tournament, Nitin Belurkar’s impressive five-day winning streak came to an abrupt halt on Friday. The talented Indian player faced off against Armenian Grandmaster Manuel Petrosyan, ultimately succumbing to his formidable opponent.

Belurkar, who had been dominating the tournament, found himself in a challenging position against Petrosyan, who matched him point for point. Both players ended the round with 5.5 points, but it was Petrosyan who emerged victorious, showcasing his strategic prowess on the board.

Joining Belurkar and Petrosyan at the top of the leaderboard are Georgian players Levan Pantsulaia and Tornike Sanikidze, as well as Indian contenders J Deepan Chakkravarthy and Neelash Saha from RSPB, and Boris Savchenko from Russia, all sharing the same score of 5.5 points.

Round 7 Highlights

The seventh round produced several exciting matches:

• Levan Pantsulaia (5.5 pts, GEO) triumphed over Ayush Sharma (5 pts, MP).
• Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (5.5 pts, RSPB) defeated Sandipan Chanda (4.5 pts, WB).
• Neelash Saha (5.5 pts, RSPB) secured a win against Mohammad Shaikh (4.5 pts, MH).
• Boris Savchenko (5.5 pts, RUS) bested Evgeniy Podolchenko (4.5 pts, BLR).
• Tornike Sanikidze (5.5 pts, GEO) claimed victory over Aakash Dalvi (4.5 pts, MH).

In the below 1800 category, several players also showcased their skills, with notable matches including:

• Gopinath P (1 pt) defeating Dadasaheb Sadafal (0 pts).
• Durva Bomble (1 pt) winning against Shlok Chandrani (0 pts).

As the tournament progresses, the competition intensifies, with players vying for the top spots and the coveted title. Fans and chess enthusiasts alike are eagerly anticipating the upcoming rounds, where every move could change the course of the championship.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Maharashtra International Open Grandmaster Chess tournament as the battle for supremacy continues!