Swapnil emerges Champion @ IIFL Wealth Mumbai International Chess 2016

Swapnil emerges Champion @ IIFL Wealth Mumbai International Chess 2016
By R.R.Vasudevan

Grandmaster Swapnill S Dhopade, with 8.0 points, emerged as Champion of the IIFL Wealth Mumbai International Open Chess Tournament 2016 that concluded at Mount Litera School International, Bandra (East). Mumbai. Swapnil wins a cash award of Rs. 150000 along with the champion’s trophy. Second placed Stany GA pockets Rs 120000 for his nine round effort, while Himal Gusain took the third prize Rs 100000 out of total cash prize fund of Rs 750000.

In the all important final round, Swapnil Dhopade drew with fellow Maharashtra player Amardeep S Bartakke, in a quiet Queens Indian game that lasted 24 moves. The draw kept Swapnil on top at 8.0 points, ahead of Stany G A of Karnataka, who took the runner-up spot at 7.5 points.

Cash prizes and trophies were distributed to the first 23 finishers in the final list, by Shri Karan Bhagat, MD & CEO, IIFL Wealth Group & Smt Shilpa Bhagat, in the presence of Shri D V Sundar, Vice President, FIDE, Shri Bharat Singh Chauhan, CEO, All India Chess Federation, Shri Ravindra Dongre, Treasurer, All India Chess Federation, Surabhi Goel, Project Head – Mount Litera School International at Zee Learn, Shri Ronak Sheth, Sr.Vice President, Marketing, IIFL Group, Shri Rishi Gupta, President, Mumbai Suburban Chess Association and Shri Praful Zaveri, Tournament Director.

Results (Round 9) Swapnil S Dhopade (8) drew with Bartakke Amardeep S (6.5), Gusain Himal (7) drew with Stany G A (7.5), Ravi Teja S (6.5) drew with Shardul Gagare (6.5), Krishna Teja N (6.5) drew with Bharambe Bhavik C (6.5), Sharma Dinesh K (6) drew with Himanshu Sharma (6.5), Muthaiah AL (5.5) lost to Chakravarthi Reddy M (6.5), Navalgund Niranjan (6) drew with Matta Vinay Kumar (6), Parnali S Dharia (5.5) lost to Abhishek Das (  6.5), Nitin S (6) bt Ojas Kulkarni (5), Adhithya S (6) bt Vikramaditya Kulkarni (5)

Final Placings : 1 Swapnil S Dhopade 8.0, 2 Stany GA 7.5, 3 Himal Gusain 7.0, 4-11 Gagare Shardul, Himanshu Sharma, Ravi Teja S, Abhishek Das, Bharambe Bhavik C, Chakravarthi Reddy M, Bartakke Amardeep S, Krishna Teja N 6.5 pts