Pranesh prevails at Kanizsa Open 2026
GM Pranesh M, IM Or Bronstein, GM Andrei Volokitin and GM Karthik Venkataraman scored 7/9 each. Pranesh won Kanizsa Open 2026 on tie-breaks. The remaining three were placed second to fourth respectively.
Three Indians in top ten; Nithin Babu and Jval Saurin Patel become an IM
GM Andrei Volokitin (UKR) and GM Pranesh M were coleaders at 6.5/8 each, heading into the final round. Pranesh defeated IM Vadym Petrovskiy (GER) to become the champion. Andrei drew against GM Karthik Venkataraman to finish third, Karthik claimed fourth place. IM Benny Aizenberg (ISR) lost to his fellow countrymate IM Or Bronstein (ISR) who finished second. IM Neelash Saha is the only other Indian to make a top ten finish. He scored 6.5/9 to be placed tenth on tie-breaks.
It was an extremely eventful tournament for the Indians. Nithin Babu, Aarav Sinha and Jval Saurin Patel became India’s latest International Masters. Nithin crossed the long awaited 2400 barrier, while Jval earned his final IM-norm.
Soham Bhattacharyya, CM Naitik R Mehta, FM Setumadhav Yellumahanthi and CM Jyotshnav Talukdar are the other IM-norm scorers. WIM Sahithi Varshini scored the lone WGM-norm among the Indians.
The total prize fund was €60400 + HUF 3750000 for the Hungarian Championship. The top three prizes were €11000, €9000 and €7000 with a trophy each.
Champion – GM Pranesh M 7/9 | Photo: David Llada
Runner-up – IM Or Bronstein (ISR) 7/9 | Photo: David Llada
Second Runner-up – GM Andrei Volokitin (UKR) 7/9 | Photo: David Llada
The greatest female chess player of all time, the legend GM Judit Polgar herself making ceremonial first move on Pranesh’s board in one of the rounds | Photo: David Llada
Round 8: IM Or Bronstein (ISR) – GM Pranesh M: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: David Llada
GM Pranesh M scored an unbeaten 7/9, won the tournament on tie-breaks and gained 0.8 Elo rating points
4th GM Karthik Venkataraman 7/9 | Photo: David Llada
10th IM Neelash Saha 6.5/9 | Photo: David Llada
15th IM Nitish Belurkar 6/9 | Photo: David Llada
Highest untitled finisher and overall 18th – Soham Bhattacharyya 6/9 | Photo: David Llada
Soham Bhattacharyya scored an impressive 6/9, performed at 2539 and gained 16.1 Elo rating points en route his second IM-norm
16-year-old European Individual Women’s champion, Anastasiia Hnatyshyn (UKR) scored 6/9, won the Best Woman prize and also scored a WGM-norm | Photo: David Llada
FM Jval Saurin Patel receiving his final IM-norm certificate
FM Jval Saurin Patel held the World Championship Candidate, GM Mathias Bluebaum (GER) to a draw in Round 2 | Photo: David Llada
Jval Saurin Patel scored 5.5/9, performed at 2452 and earned his final IM-norm to become an International Master
FM Setumadhav Yellumahanthi scored his maiden IM-norm | Photo: David Llada
Setumadhav Yellumahanthi scored 5.5/9, performed at 2479 and gained 69 Elo rating points en route his first IM-norm
Nithin Babu became an International Master by crossing 2400 | Photo: David Llada
Nithin Babu scored 5/9, crossed 2400 to become an International Master and also scored his fourth IM-norm, his first outside of India
CM Jyotshnav Talukdar earned his maiden IM-norm
CM Jyotshnav Talukdar scored 5/9, performed at 2454 and gained 48.45 Elo rating points on his way to his maiden IM-norm
WIM Sahithi Varshini receives her second WGM-norm certificate
WIM Sahithi Varshini M scored 5/9, performed at 2429 and added 37 Elo rating points en route her second WGM-norm
IM-norms
Soham Bhattacharyya
FM Jval Saurin Patel
CM Naitik R Mehta
FM Setumadhav Yellumahanthi
Nithin Babu
Aarav Sinha
CM Jyotshnav Talukdar
WGM-norm
WIM Sahithi Varshini
Trophies and medals for the prize winners | Photo: David Llada
Replay all available Group A games
A total of 224 players including 26 GMs, 51 IMs, 3 WGMs and 10 WIMs took part from 34 countries across the world in Group A (>2200). The nine-day nine-round Rating Open tournament was organized by Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsa Chess Club and Hungarian Chess Federation at Kanizsa Arena in Nagykanizsa, Hungary from 15th to 23rd August 2026. The time control of the tournament was 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment.
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