Levan Pantsulaia wins KCA God’s Own Country’s 1st GM Open 2025
GM Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) made another quick draw against IM Rajesh Vav to win KCA's God's Own Country's 1st GM Open 2025. IM Semetei Tologon Tegin (KGZ) defeated GM Alexei Fedorov to finish second. Both Levan and Semetei scored 8.5/10 each. However, Levan became champion due to better tie-break score, Semetei had to be content with the runner-up place. GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM) drew with GM Manuel Petrosyan (ARM) to finish third 8/10. IM Rajesh Vav is the top Indian finisher 8/10. GM Deepan Chakkravarthy, IM Mehar Chinna Reddy C H and GM Laxman R R are the remaining three Indians to make a top ten finish. They scored 7.5/10 each to be placed sixth, eighth and tenth respectively. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹2000000 in Category A. The top three prizes were ₹300000, ₹200000 and ₹150000. Photo: IA R Anantharam
Rajesh Vav is the top Indian finisher
Grandmaster Levan Pantsulaia (GEO) added one more title to his collection when he won the KCA’s 1st International Chess Festival – Category A Tournament, organised by Kottayam Chess Academy, today. It is the second title of the season after winning the 2nd Namma Bengaluru GM 2025 last month. IM Semetei Tologon Tegin (KGZ) also scored 8.5 points, as much as that of Levan but had to be content with the runner-up spot, due to inferior tie break score. While Pantsulaia collected three lacs rupees as the first prize, Tologon received two lacs rupees.
Top seed GM Karen H Grigoryan (ARM), GM Boris Savchenko and in-form International Master Rajesh Vav of South Central Railway scored eight points each and finished third, fourth and fifth respectively.
Former minister of Kerala Government and sitting MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan distributed the prizes to the winners in the presence of R Rajesh, Chairman, Arbiters’ Commission Chairman and also the Tournament Director.
A total of 234 players including 16 GMs, 12 IMs and a WIM took part from 13 countries across the world. The eight-day ten round GM tournament was organized by Kottayam Chess Academy from 30th April to 7th May 2025 at The Courtyard Banquet Hall Kanjikuzhi in Kottayam, Kerala. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.
Replay Round 10 games
Round 10 results
Final standings
| Rk. | SNo | Name | Typ | sex | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | TB6 | Rp | n | w | we | w-we | K | rtg+/- | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | GM | Pantsulaia, Levan | GEO | 2532 | GEO | 8,5 | 63 | 68 | 55,75 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 2465 | 10 | 8,5 | 8,12 | 0,38 | 10 | 3,8 | |||
| 2 | 12 | IM | Tologon Tegin, Semetei | KGZ | 2358 | KGZ | 8,5 | 58,5 | 62,5 | 52,75 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 2382 | 10 | 8,5 | 7,16 | 1,34 | 10 | 13,4 | |||
| 3 | 1 | GM | Grigoryan, Karen H. | ARM | 2556 | ARM | 8 | 65 | 68,5 | 52,00 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 2493 | 10 | 8 | 7,70 | 0,30 | 10 | 3 | |||
| 4 | 4 | GM | Savchenko, Boris | RUS | 2459 | RUS | 8 | 59,5 | 63,5 | 49,50 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 2329 | 10 | 8 | 8,35 | -0,35 | 10 | -3,5 | |||
| 5 | 15 | IM | Rajesh, V A V | IND | 2331 | SCR | 8 | 59 | 63 | 47,75 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 2373 | 10 | 8 | 6,59 | 1,41 | 10 | 14,1 | |||
| 6 | 9 | GM | Deepan, Chakkravarthy J. | IND | 2394 | ICF | 7,5 | 57,5 | 62 | 45,50 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2317 | 10 | 7,5 | 7,56 | -0,06 | 10 | -0,6 | |||
| 7 | 2 | GM | Petrosyan, Manuel | ARM | 2544 | ARM | 7,5 | 57,5 | 62 | 45,50 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2285 | 10 | 7,5 | 8,45 | -0,95 | 10 | -9,5 | |||
| 8 | 6 | IM | Mehar, Chinna Reddy C.H. | IND | 2418 | SCR | 7,5 | 54,5 | 58 | 42,50 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 2191 | 10 | 7,5 | 8,86 | -1,36 | 10 | -13,6 | |||
| 9 | 7 | GM | Movsziszian, Karen | ARM | 2417 | ARM | 7,5 | 53,5 | 58 | 42,75 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2195 | 10 | 7,5 | 8,96 | -1,46 | 10 | -14,6 | |||
| 10 | 19 | GM | Laxman, R.R. | IND | 2290 | ICF | 7,5 | 53,5 | 57,5 | 42,25 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2149 | 10 | 7,5 | 8,10 | -0,60 | 10 | -6 | |||
| 11 | 13 | GM | Dzhumaev, Marat | UZB | 2352 | UZB | 7 | 61 | 65 | 42,75 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2279 | 10 | 7 | 7,13 | -0,13 | 10 | -1,3 | |||
| 12 | 22 | IM | Gochelashvili, David | RUS | 2227 | RUS | 7 | 60,5 | 66,5 | 45,00 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2291 | 9 | 6 | 5,07 | 0,93 | 10 | 9,3 | |||
| 13 | 11 | GM | Nguyen, Van Huy | VIE | 2363 | VIE | 7 | 58,5 | 63,5 | 42,50 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2248 | 10 | 7 | 7,67 | -0,67 | 10 | -6,7 | |||
| 14 | 21 | GM | Teterev, Vitaly | BLR | 2266 | BLR | 7 | 58,5 | 63,5 | 40,50 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2220 | 10 | 7 | 6,97 | 0,03 | 10 | 0,3 | |||
| 15 | 8 | GM | Fedorov, Alexei | BLR | 2396 | BLR | 7 | 57 | 61 | 40,50 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2178 | 10 | 7 | 8,32 | -1,32 | 10 | -13,2 |
About the Author
Prof. Rathinam Anantharam is an A-grade international arbiter. Member of FIDE Arbiters’ Commission, Chairman of Titles Commission in All India Chess Federation, Vice President of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, Chief Arbiter for six world championships, many Asian, International and National Championships. Nominated as one of the top seven arbiters in the world for the past hundred years by FIDE.
The report was edited by Shahid Ahmed
