Grandmaster M R Lalith Babu won the Vergani Cup Open which concluded on Sunday in Italy. Lalith seeded 9th in the tournament scored 7 points out of possible 9 and tied for the pole position along with second seed GM Niemaan Hans Moke of USA, Vitaliy Bernadskiy of Ukraine and Nurgyul Salimova of Bulgaria. But better tie break score helped Lalith to finish as champion while Moke finished as first runner up. Top seed Anton Korobov of Ukraine finished at fifth position
All India Chess Federation congratulate Lalith for the achievement.

TENTATIVE NATIONAL CALENDAR FOR 2026-27
Round 3 : 1st Chola Chess International Grandmaster Norm Round Robin Tournament 2026, Chennai.
Day 2:1st Chola Chess International Grandmaster Norm Closed Circuit Chess Tournament, Chennai
Fide Arbiter Seminar in Pune 28 Feb -02 March 2026 & Thoothukudi 07-09 March 2026
First Chola chess International GM Norm Round Robin Tournament in form Chennai from 02 February to 11 February 2026.
Live games link for First Chola chess International GM Norm Round Robin Tournament 2026