Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Feb: The 1st Dehradun Open FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament 2026 concluded on Sunday at Touchwood International School, Sahastradhara Road, emerging as one of the largest and most technically significant chess tournaments ever organised in Uttarakhand. Conducted under the regulations of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), the tournament not only attracted players from across India but also created a lasting impact on the competitive chess ecosystem of the city.
The two-day event saw participation from 460 players representing 21 states, including titled players — 3 FIDE Masters and 1 Candidate Master — along with 171 internationally rated players competing over 10 Swiss rounds. The tournament served as an official international rating event, allowing unrated players to obtain their first FIDE rating and rated players to improve their international rankings.
Importantly, the tournament has resulted in more than 20 players from Dehradun receiving their first-ever FIDE International Rating, effectively multiplying the total number of internationally rated chess players in the city. Organisers described this as a historic milestone that will accelerate the growth of competitive chess in Uttarakhand and provide local players a pathway to national and international competition without the need to travel outside the state.
After intense competition across ten rounds, Prakash Ram (Punjab) clinched the championship title scoring 9 points out of 10 on tiebreak advantage. Soni Krishan (Delhi) secured second place with an identical score, while Vidit Sethi (Uttar Pradesh) finished third with 8.5 points. Several young and emerging players from Uttarakhand also delivered notable performances, indicating a strong upcoming talent pool from the region.
The closing ceremony was presided over by MLA Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’ as Chief Guest, and Abhishek Pant, Councillor, as Guest of Honour. They congratulated the participants and emphasised the importance of intellectual sports like chess in developing analytical ability, patience, and discipline among youth.
Other dignitaries present on the dais included IA Anurag Singh (Tournament Director), Aman Saxena (Director Touchwood School), Parishi Singh Kiledar (CEO, Chess Knight Academy), Major Pankaj Chand (Retd), Rohit Puri, Sanjay Rawat, and senior members of the chess fraternity and local administration.
The event was officiated by a professional arbiter panel under Chief Arbiter, IA, Ambrish C Joshi, ensuring strict adherence to FIDE Laws of Chess, digital pairing systems, and internationally compliant tournament standards. Players were provided tournament-grade playing conditions, live pairings updates, and structured round management comparable to national-level competitions.
Participants and parents appreciated the professional organisation, hospitality arrangements, and smooth conduct of rounds. Many visiting players noted that Dehradun now has the infrastructure and management capability to host larger national and international chess championships.
The organisers, Chess Knight Academy, stated that the overwhelming national participation and the creation of new rated players from Dehradun demonstrates the rapidly growing popularity of chess in the region. They announced plans to make the Dehradun Open an annual international calendar event and expand future editions to classical format competitions.
