Krunal K Solanki perfect at LJ University Check Mate Rapid Rating Open 2026
Krunal K Solanki scored 9/9 to win LJ University “Check Mate” Rapid Rating Open 2026. He finished a half point ahead of the rest. Four players – Saumil Nair, Geet H Dabhi, Dhairya Amit Shroff and WCM Hanya Shah scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 each. They secured second to fifth place respectively according to tie-breaks.
2000 players and no entry fee
By R Anantharam
Have you ever seen or heard 2000 chess players in action in a huge playing hall? The venue and the organizer were the LJ University, Ahmedabad, which hosted the mammoth tournament, providing free AICF registration, lunch and dinner on both days, plus unlimited snacks and coffee & tea. The nine round rapid rating tournament, an attempt to a Guinness world record (around 2000 players from a single university playing in a rating tournament) was organized by the LJ University at its campus on 16th and 17th February.
A view of the huge playing hall, accommodating all the two thousand players in one place | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Lok Jagruti Kendra University, Ahmedabad
Krunal K Solanki, an invited rated player won the tournament with a perfect score of nine points from nine games.
Krunal K Solanki won the tournament, with a perfect score of nine points from nine games | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Krunal K Solanki scored a perfect 9/9, gained 5.8 Elo rating points and finished a half point ahead of the rest
Second seeded Saumil Nair, a professor in the LJ University won the second place with 8.5 points.
Saumil Nair a professor in the LJ University was the runner-up | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Among the top ten ranked players, 1445th seeded Yatharth Ranpura of LJ University won the tournament for LJ University students, with a score of eight points. Overall, he secured the seventh place among the 2000 students.
Yatharth Ranpura won the first place among the LJ University students | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Ayush Parajapati who also scored eight points and eleventh in the overall rank was the runner-up
Ayush Prajapati won the second place among the university players | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Jash Mistry and Oza Dhir also scored eight points to finish third and fourth respectively.
Jash Mistry is the second runner up | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Oza Dhir was declared fourth | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Kushi Chauhan won the best girl player prize and Zarafsha Shaik was second
Kushi Chauhan was the best girl player in the tournament, followed by… | Photo: IA R Anantharam
…Zarafsha Shaikh | Photo: IA R Anantharam
The tournament was inaugurated by Dev Patel, Honorary Secretary of All India Chess Federation, the Vice Chancellor of LJU, Dr. Dinesh Awasthi, GM Tejas Bakre, Bhavesh Patel, former Joint Secretary of AICF and Ajeet Kumar Verma, Head of Operations AICF.
The tournament was inaugurated by Dev Patel, Dr. Dinesh Awasthi, GM Tejas Bakre, Bhavesh Patel and Ajeet Kumar Verma, Head of Operations AICF | Photo: IA R Anantharam
The tournament was well organized under the leadership of Ankit Dalal, an alumnus of the LJ University, who runs the Brain Power Chess in Ahmedabad and also the founder of My Chess Trip, helping Indian chess players to visit Europe to participate in chess tournaments. He is also a good ChessBoxing player.
Ankit Dalal, the Tournament Director executed a splendid job in the organization part | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Mahesh Kela, Director LJ University Polytechnic played an important role in the organization | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Bhavesh Patel, the architect of Gujarat Chess | Photo: IA R Anantharam
GM Tejas Bakre and Dev Patel, Secretary, All India Chess Federation | Photo: IA R Anantharam
It is noteworthy to mention that 95% (about 1900) of the players are from the Polytechnic college of the university.
10-year-old Dhairya Amit Shroff of Canada, a special invitee has a rating of 1891 was fourth overall | Photo: IA R Anantharam
5th WCM Hanya Shah 8.5/9 | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Sohil Shaik obtained the sixth place | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Players in white & officials in black – first day | Photo: IA R Anantharam
All players black & Coordinatord in white – 2nd day | Photo: IA R Anantharam
It was a game of fun, joy and bliss | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Players entering the hall to start the round | Photo: IA R Anantharam
College professors who contributed to the success of the tournament | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Prize winners with LJU officials | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Some of the coordinators are professors in LJ University | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Krunal K Solanki (right) won against Jay Ajay Pusal | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Saumil Nair defeated Mohit Gangwani in the seventh round | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Sohil Shaik drew with Adalja Vanssh in the eighth round | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Amit Shroff (black) defeated Rex Khristi | Photo: IA R Anantharam
Nishit Kushalani (white) lost to Geet H Dabhi | Photo: IA R Anantharam
10-year-old Dhairya Amit Shroff of Canada, a special invitee has a rating of 1891 | Photo: IA R Anantharam
December 24 is a special day in five times world champion Vishy Anand’s life, as he won his first world championship on this day in 2000. On the same day in 2010, the chess champion was a part of the Guinness record in Ahmedabad, where 20480 players assembled to play chess against 1024 masters.
Vishy Anand won the championship on 24thDecember 2000 and ten years later, he was part of a Guinness record on the same day
Exactly, a year ago, the university organised an unrated tournament, with 867 players, which shows the interest evinced by the university to go for mega events in chess.
Today, LJ University oversees 32 institutes across two eco-friendly, well-developed campuses in Ahmedabad, nurturing over 21,000 students and supported by a team of more than 1000 faculty members . These institutions span diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs across a wide range of disciplines. LJ emphasizes value-based, holistic education that balances academic excellence with empathy, innovation, and social responsibility.
A sky rise building in the LJ University campus
Final standings
About the Author
Prof. Rathinam Anantharam is an A-grade international arbiter. Member of the FIDE Arbiters’ Commission, Chairman of the Titles Commission in the All India Chess Federation, Vice President of the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, Chief Arbiter for six world championships, many Asian, International, and National Championships.
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