Ayush Sharma and Abhimanyu Puranik are 4th Anniversary Phoenix ChessBase India Club Rapid and Blitz Rating Open 2026 champions
IM Ayush Sharma scored a perfect 9/9 to win 4th Anniversary Phoenix ChessBase India Club Rapid Rating Open 2026. FM Om Manish Kadam scored 8/9 to secure second place. Eight players scored 7.5/9 each. Out of them, IM Akshay Borgaonkar was placed third according to tie-breaks. GM Abhimanyu Puranik won the Blitz Rating Open scoring an unbeaten 8.5/9. Kartavya Anadkat, GM Mitrabha Guha and WIM Mrudul Dehankar scored 8/9 each. They were placed second, third and fourth respectively. The total prize fund was ₹500000, ₹300000 for Rapid and ₹200000 for Blitz. The top three prizes in Rapid were ₹51000, ₹30000 and ₹20000 along with a trophy each, for Blitz they were ₹31000, ₹20000 and ₹15000 along with a trophy each.
Ayush’s first, Abhimanyu’s second rating tournament triumph of the year
This was GM-elect IM Ayush Sharma’s first rating tournament victory in 2026. For GM Abhimanyu Puranik, it was his second rating tournament triumph in 2026. Abhimanyu won the Rapid Rating Open last year and Abhimanyu went on to become National Blitz 2026 champion, twelve days after winning the Blitz Open here.
Rapid: Ayush Sharma scores 100%
IM Ayush Sharma made a perfect start by winning eight games in-a-row. IM Akshay Borgaonkar was the only player trailing by a half point at 7.5/8. Akshay lost to Ayush in the final round, the latter became the champion and the former third. IM Anuj Shrivatri conceded a full point against FM Om Manish Kadam who finished second. IM Padmini Rout is the sole female player to make a top ten finish. She scored 7.5/9 to claim seventh place.
Champion – IM Ayush Sharma 9/9 | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
Runner-up – FM Om Manish Kadam 8/9 | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
Second Runner-up – IM Akshay Borganokar 7.5/9 | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
IM Ayush Sharma en route his final round win against IM Akshay Borgaonkar | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
Ayush Sharma won all his games, finished a full point ahead of the rest and gained 37.4 Elo rating points
Blitz: Abhimanyu clinches consecutive editions of rating tournaments at Phoenix Marketcity
GM Abhimanyu Puranik won eight games in-a-row to gain sole lead, heading into the last round. Then reigning National Blitz 2025 champion, GM Mitrabha Guha was the sole pursuer at 7.5/8. Mitrabha drew against Abhimanyu and the latter became the champion, the former third. Kartavya Anadkat defeated IM Aakash Sharadchandra Dalvi to claim second place. WIM Mrudul Dehankar scored an impressive 8/9 to finish fourth. She is the only female player to make a top ten finish.
Champion – GM Abhimanyu Puranik 8.5/9 | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
Runner-up – Kartavya Anadkat 8/9 | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
Second Runner-up – GM Mitrabha Guha 8/9 | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
GM Abhimanyu Puranik scored an unbeaten 8.5/9, finished a half point ahead of the rest and gained 8.9 Elo rating points
Top 3 in Blitz and Rapid | Photo: Omkar Awale and Tanmesh Mokal
A total of 391 players including two GMs, eleven IMs and a WIM took part from various parts of the country. The two-day nine-round Rapid Rating Open tournament was organized by Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai and ChessBase India at Dublin Square, Phoenix Marketcity in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 28th February and 1st March 2026. The time control of the tournament was 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment.
Final standings in Rapid Rating
A total of 358 players including two GMs, eleven IMs and a WIM took part from various parts of the country and one from Zambia. The one-day nine-round Blitz Rating Open tournament was organized by Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai and ChessBase India at Dublin Square, Phoenix Marketcity in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 1st March 2026. The time control of the tournament was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment.
Final standings in Blitz Rating
Links
ChessBase India: Official site
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