RSPB A dominates 45th National Team Rating Open 2026

Railways Sports Promotion Board A scored an unbeaten 16/18 to win 45th National Team Rating Open 2026. This is the third consecutive edition a RSPB team has won this event. Airports Authority of India scored 15/18 to secure second place. Railways Sports Promotion Board B scored 14/18 to finish third. The total prize fund was ₹500000. The top three prizes were ₹125000, ₹100000 and ₹75000 along with a trophy each.

RSPB scores a hat-trick

RSPB B won the 44th edition last year. RSPB A became champion in 2024. For third consecutive year, both RSPB teams made a podium finish. It is well-known by now that RSPB has the majority of Indian GMs and IMs among all public sector units.

Champion – RSPB A 16/18 | Photo: Ayush Jain

L to R: IM Himal Gusain 3.5/6, GM Visakh N R 5/8, GM Diptayan Ghosh 5/7, GM Mitrabha Guha 6.5/8 and GM P Shyaam Nikhil 6/7 | Photo: Ayush Jain

Runner-up – Airports Authority of India 15/18 | Photo: Ayush Jain

L to R: GM Raahul V S 1.5/5, IM Aaditya Dhingra 6/8, IM Shahil Dey 6/7 and IM Harshavardhan G B (second from right) 5.5/8 | Photo: Ayush Jain

Second Runner-up – RSPB B 14/18 | Photo: Ayush Jain

L to R: IM Ayush Sharma 4.5/7, IM Aronyak Ghosh 7/8, IM Neelash Saha 5.5/7, GM Vignesh N R 6/8 and GM Sayantan Das 3/6

GM Mitrabha Guha and GM P Shyaam Nikhil were part of the winning team RSPB B last year. This time also they are part of the winning team, only team name changed from RSPB B to A, according to their All-India Inter-Railway qualification path.

RSPB A team performance

Individual Board prizes

IM Srihari L and GM Mitrabha Guha won individual Gold medal in consecutive years. Srihari’s Gold medal changed from Board #1 to #2. Mitrabha’s Gold remained undeterred on Board #4.

Board #1

Gold – IM Arjun Adireddy (Telangana) 88.9% 8/9

Silver – IM Aaditya Dhingra (AAI) 75% 6/9

Bronze – IM Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy (Uttar Pradesh A) 75% 6/9

Board #2

Gold – IM Srihari L (Pondicherry) 77.8% 7/9

Silver – GM Vignesh N R (RSPB B) 75% 6/8

Bronze – Akshit Kukkar (All India Reserve Bank Sports and Cultural Council) 72.2% 6.5/9

Board #3

Gold – IM Aronyak Ghosh (RSPB B) 87.5% 7/8

Silver – CM Vyom Malhotra (Haryana A) 83.3% 7.5/9

Bronze – GM Sriram Jha (LIC) 83.3% 7.5/9

Board #4

Gold – GM Mitrabha Guha (RSPB A) 81.3% 6.5/8

Silver – Renjith Rejath (Kerala) 81.3% 6.5/8

Bronze – IM Neelash Saha (RSPB B) 78.6% 5.5/7

Board #5

Gold – GM P Shyaam Nikhil (RSPB A) 85.7% 6/7

Silver – IM Shahil Dey (AAI) 85.7% 6/7

Bronze – Vinayak Singh Yadav (Uttar Pradesh C) 75% 6/8

Replay all available games

A total of 231 players including 11 GMs and 14 IMs represented 46 teams all across the country. The seven-day nine round Rating Team tournament was organized by Chhattisgarh State Chess Association at Agrasen Dham in Raipur, Chhattisgarh from 16th to 22nd March 2025. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

Final standings

Details