NEW DELHI: The National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship concluded at Sarala Birla University in Ranchi, where more than 400 players from across the country competed in intense matches that tested both speed and strategy.

The tournament featured two formats in Blitz and Rapid and saw impressive performances from several top Indian players.In the Blitz section, Grandmaster (GM) Abhimanyu Puranik emerged as the champion after a thrilling finish.

The Maharashtra player scored 9 points in 11 rounds to secure the title. The competition was extremely tight at the top, with GM Sayantan Das from the Railway Sports Promotion Board also finishing with 9 points.

However, Puranik, hailing from Mumbai, clinched the championship thanks to a better tie-break score. International Master (IM) Madhavan N B from Tamil Nadu finished third with 8.5 points, edging out several players who also ended with the same score.The Blitz format required quick thinking and lightning-fast moves, making it a challenging contest even for experienced grandmasters. Puranik showed remarkable composure under time pressure to come out on top in a field packed with strong contenders.

In the Rapid section, IM Aronyak Ghosh delivered a standout performance to claim the title. Representing the Railway Sports Promotion Board, the West Bengal player scored an impressive 9.5 points out of 11 rounds and remained undefeated throughout the tournament.The victory marks an important milestone for Ghosh, who is currently working towards achieving his final Grandmaster norm. Meanwhile, Puranik’s triumph in the Blitz category further strengthens his reputation as one of India’s top players in fast-paced chess formats.