Belarusian Grandmaster Mihail Nikitenko Joins Lead at Delhi International Open Chess Tournament
Delhi International Open Chess Tournament Update
New Delhi, June 12: Belarusian Grandmaster Mihail Nikitenko, playing with the white pieces, triumphed over Georgian GM Luka Paichadze in the eighth round of the 21st Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament (Delhi GM Open) 2025. This victory places him in a tie for the lead with Abhijeet Gupta, as both players now hold seven points each with only two rounds left in Category A.
The Delhi GM Open is recognized as Asia's leading open chess tournament, attracting over 2,500 participants from more than 20 nations, including 24 Grandmasters. Organized by the All India Chess Federation, this event features a remarkable prize pool of ₹1.21 crore, solidifying its status as a key event in India's chess calendar.
Previously the sole leader, Gupta, a three-time champion of the Delhi GM Open—a record that remains unmatched—faced Armenian GM Manuel Petrosyan on Wednesday at the top board, hoping to increase his score. However, the intense match, characterized by frequent exchanges of tactical blows, ended in a draw, allowing both players to add half a point to their totals.
In the pursuit of the leaders, GM SL Narayan, the tournament's highest-rated participant, also drew with Indian International Master Neelash Saha, keeping them within striking distance of the leaders as the tournament approaches its conclusion. Indian IM Aronyak Ghosh and Swedish GM Vitaly Sivuk also ended their match in a draw, while GM Diptayan Ghosh secured a victory against GM Boris Savchenko from Russia, leaving all three players with six and a half points, just half a point behind Gupta and Nikitenko.
The chasing group also includes Grandmasters Aditya S Samant, Mamikon Gharibyan from Armenia, and Aleksej Aleksandrov from Belarus, each achieving victories in Round 8. GMs Venkataraman Kartik, Nguyen Doc Hoa from Vietnam, and MR Venkatesh also claimed wins but remain at least a point behind the leaders.
Additionally, Wednesday marked the continuation of Category C, which features 1,250 competitors vying for a prize pool of ₹35 lakhs. This section will conclude on Saturday, June 14, with the champion set to receive ₹4 lakhs.