Mumbai: Top-seeded Grandmaster Panneerselvam Iniyan of Tamil Nadu dominated from start to finish to win the Masters title at the 360 One Global Chess Festival held at the World Trade Centre in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai.
The 24-year-old national champion, who was almost certain to win after the eighth round, secured the title after agreeing to a quick draw against Ajay Santosh Parvathareddy in the final round. With a total of 7.5 points, Iniyan became the first Masters champion of the prestigious tournament and received a prize of ₹8 lakh.
Grandmaster Boris Savchenko finished second with 6.5 points, while International Master Ajay Parvathareddy and International Master Akash Dalvi shared the next positions with six points each.
In the Challengers category, International Master Nitin Babu clinched the title after defeating Ashirwad Swain in a crucial final-round encounter. Nitin finished with eight points and won ₹3 lakh along with the trophy. He has also earned direct qualification for the Masters category in next year’s 10th edition.
The Junior Masters title went to top seed Madhavendra Pratap Sharma, who finished with eight points after drawing his final-round game against A. Amanlal. Madhavendra received ₹2 lakh and the trophy in the tournament, which features one of the highest prize pools for junior players.
The festival highlighted emerging Indian chess talent, with players from across the country competing across three categories.
