New Delhi: The National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship concluded at Sarla Birla University in Ranchi, where over 400 players from across the country competed in intense matches that tested both speed and strategy. The tournament featured two formats of blitz and rapid and saw impressive performances from several leading Indian players.In the blitz section, Grandmaster (GM) Abhimanyu Pranaek emerged as the champion after a thrilling contest.
The player from Maharashtra won the title by scoring 9 points in 11 rounds. The competition was fierce, with Railway Sports Promotion Board GM Syantan Das also finishing with 9 points. However, Puranic from Mumbai won the championship thanks to a better tie-break score. International Master (IM) Madhavan NB from Tamil Nadu finished third with 8.5 points, beating several players who finished with the same score.The Blitz format requires quick thinking and lightning-fast moves, making it a challenging matchup even for experienced grandmasters. Paranik showed remarkable composure under time pressure to come out on top in a field full of strong contenders.In the rapid section, IM Aroniak Ghosh put in a brilliant performance to clinch the title. Representing the Railway Sports Promotion Board, the player from West Bengal scored an impressive 9.5 points from 11 rounds and remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.The victory marks a major milestone for Ghosh, who is currently working towards achieving his final Grandmaster standard. Meanwhile, Pranaek’s victory in the blitz category further cemented his reputation as one of India’s top players in fast-paced chess formats.
