ROURKELA 28-Apr-2015 22
Odisha Grandmaster Debashis Das lived up to his top billing when he emerged champion in the National Rapid Chess Championship at Rourkela Club here today. With an ELO of 2536, the highest in a field of 52 players, Debashis finished at the top of the table with 9.5 points out of a possible 11.
The only Grandmaster of Odisha, Debashis, in fact, claimed the title with a round to spare. He won eight games, including three on the final day, and drew the remaining three against GM Neelotpal Das, IM Arghyadip Das (both West Bengal) and IM Swayangsu Satyapragyan (Air India/Odisha).
``It is my first national title after a long gap and feel very happy for the achievement. I had won the National Challenger in 2012. It is all the more satisfying that I secured the title with a round to spare,`` said Debashis, who pocketed the top prize of Rs 50,000.
Young IM Diptayan Ghosh and GM Neelotpal Das (both West Bengal) finished second and third with 8.5 and eight points respectively. The former became richer by Rs 25,000 and the latter Rs 15,000. The Rapid National will be followed by Blitz National at the same venue on Wednesday.
FINAL STANDINGS (Top 10): 1. Debashis Das (9.5), 2. Diptendu Ghosh (8.5), 3. Neelotpal Das (8), 4. K Rathnakaran (8), 5. Swayangsu Satyapragyan (7.5), 6. BT Murali Krishnan (7), 7. Dinesh K Sharma (7), 8. Swapnil S Dhopade (7), 9. Arghyadip Das (7), 10. Dhulipalla Bala Chandra Prasad (7).
