New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Day 5 of the 21st Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament 2025 delivered a double dose of drama, with Category B terminating and a top-board clash between India’s top seeds, GMs S. L. Narayanan and Abhijeet Gupta, unfolding in the main Grandmasters section at Tivoli Gardens, Chattarpur.

In the Category B section, Telangana’s Anandbatla Satvik emerged champion with an outstanding 9/10, outshining a strong field of over 800 players. He takes home ₹4 lakh — the highest-ever first prize for an amateur chess event in India. Sundram Kumar and Shaikh Sohil claimed second and third places, winning ₹3 lakh and ₹2 lakh respectively — a podium sweep that underscores the growing depth and ambition in India’s amateur chess scene.

Meanwhile, in the marquee Category A section, top-seeded Indian GMs, S L Narayanan and Abhijeet Gupta played out a tense draw in Round 6. Entering the day in strong form, both players showcased high-level positional manoeuvring, with neither able to break through. The half-point apiece keeps them firmly in contention as the title race heats up heading into the final four rounds.

In another highly anticipated contest, GM Vitaly Sivuk (Sweden) and GM Alexei Fedorov (Belarus) also drew their Round 6 encounter, preserving their unbeaten records and joining the pack tied at 5 points out of 6.

Also sharing the spoils in Round 6 were GM Diptayan Ghosh and IM Neelash Saha, further contributing to a leaderboard defined by razor-thin margins. With no clear frontrunner, the competition remains wide open, with multiple Grandmasters within striking distance of the crown.

The 21st Delhi GM Open continues to be Asia’s premier open chess tournament, drawing over 2,500 players from more than 20 countries, including 24 Grandmasters. Organized under the aegis of the All-India Chess Federation, the event boasts a record prize pool of ₹1.21 crore and remains a cornerstone of India’s chess calendar.

The Category C section, featuring over 1,200 participants, is set to kick off tomorrow, promising yet another exciting chapter in this festival of chess.

–IANS

bsk/