Grandmaster P Iniyan finishes second in German Chess tournament

India’s chess landscape has bloomed immensely in the last two decades, with its players winning international titles every now and then. The latest accomplishment by an Indian in the world of chess is by Grandmaster P Iniyan, who scored seven points to finish second in the Stauffer Open chess tournament held in Germany recently.

The tournament saw over 200 participants from 15 countries, with the Tamil Nadu player drawing two games, losing one and winning six to finish with seven points.

Speaking to PTI, Iniyan’s father Panneerselvam explained the format of the tournament. The organisers conducted a pairing system called accelerated pairing, where players start the tournament by facing tough opponents.

Iniyan said he was happy with the result but would have been happier had he won the final as well. The 17-year-old is currently in Mumbai and while travel to Chennai to join a camp conducted by Russian Grand Master Vladimir Kramnik and former world championship finalist Boris Gelfand.

"I hope to learn a lot there and excited to meet former world champion Kramnik again and World Championship Challenger Gelfand," he told PTI.

Also read: Chess legends Kramnik and Gelfand to train 14 young Indians

Iniyan is the only International Master from his hometown Erode. In his first FIDE rated tournament, he won the best youngest player award. At the age of six in 2009, he got the rating of 1535. The very next year he qualified for Asian and World Youth under-8 and since then has won several laurels. Hailing from Erode, Iniyan became India's 61st Grandmaster after achieving the required Elo rating at the Noisiel Open chess tournament in France during March 2019.