Karnataka's 20-year-old Avani Udipi emerged victorious at the All India Chess Masters tournament, a FIDE-rated classical chess event that concluded Saturday at the Mumbai Chess Centre, Russian House. Avani and Maharashtra's Mayuresh Parkar both scored seven points over eight rounds, but Udipi's superior tiebreak score (36.5 to Parkar's 32) earned her the top prize of Rs 30,000. Parkar finished second, taking home Rs 20,000.
Udipi, who had a FIDE rating of 1669 at the start of the tournament, demonstrated remarkable consistency, capping her campaign with a decisive victory over Darsh Shetty in the final round. Chief arbiter Ajinkya Pingale noted that her unrelenting play against higher-rated opposition was key to edging out Parkar, who entered the event with a 1757 rating.
The tournament witnessed exciting battles, with many of the city's top players giving it their all. The level of competition was fierce, as demonstrated by the fact that six players finished with 6.5 points each, separated only by narrow margins.
In Friday's penultimate round, Yash Kapadi and Darsh Shetty, each with 6.5 points, drew their heated clash on the top board, ensuring a three-way tie for the lead heading into the finale. However, Udipi's last-round victory dramatically reshuffled the standings.
A notable achievement was the performance of under-10 contestant Parv H. Hakani, who finished in eighth place with 6.5 points.
Final Round Results:
Udipi's triumph underscores her rising talent on the national stage and caps off a tournament filled with high-caliber clashes and emerging stars.
