Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, May 17: Karnataka’s 20-year old Avani Udipi emerged victorious at the All India Chess Masters, a FIDE rated classical event that concluded Saturday at the Mumbai Chess Centre, Russian House. Both Avani and Maharashtra’s Mayuresh Parkar amassed seven points over eight grueling rounds, but Udipi’s superior tiebreak score (36.5 to Parkar’s 32) earned her the top prize of Rs 30,000. Parkar finished second, taking home Rs 20,000.
Starting the tournament with a FIDE rating of 1669, Udipi demonstrated remarkable consistency, capping her campaign with a decisive win over Darsh Shetty in the final round. Chief arbiter Ajinkya Pingale noted that her unrelenting play against higher rated opposition was key to edging out Parkar, who entered the event with a 1757 rating.
The competition was fierce: six players finished on 6.5 points, illustrating the narrow margins that separated third through eighth place. Among them, 10 year old Parv H. Hakani impressed by scoring 6.5 points to claim eighth spot—a remarkable feat for the youngest competitor.
In Friday’s penultimate round, Yash Kapadi and Darsh Shetty—each on 6.5 points—drew their heated clash on the top board, ensuring a three way tie for the lead heading into the finale. However, Udipi’s last round victory reshuffled the standings in dramatic fashion.
Final Round Results:
• Mayuresh Parkar (1757) beat Yash Kapadi (1879) 1–0
• Avani Udipi (1669) beat Darsh Shetty (1833) 1–0
• Om Gada (1814) drew Reyaansh Venkat (1697) ½–½
• Parv H. Hakani (1671) drew Daksh Jagesia (1882) ½–½
• Kush Agarwal (1850) beat Dhruv Muthe (1674) 1–0
Udipi’s triumph underscores her rising talent on the national stage and caps off a tournament filled with high caliber clashes and emerging stars.