chessbase india logo

A prelude on LBHM 30 lacs prize money chess festival

by R Anantharam - 04/05/2023

The month of May is going to witness a lot of rating chess tournaments. Among them, the fourth edition of Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial Chess Festival is offering a combined prize fund of over 30 lacs across three tournaments - Classical, Below 1600 and Rapid. The festival will take place from 13th to 21st May in Pune. There are a dozen prizes which are over ₹100000 each combining Open and Below 1600 event. So far two GMs and seven IMs have already registered in the Classical and Rapid events. So hurry up and register now if you haven't yet. Check out the details and preview of the tournament written by the Chief Arbiter of the event - IA R Anantharam. Photo: Tournament Circular

LBHM Chess Festival, Pune is here to break the records

Of late, FIDE rated chess tournaments are shaping into new dimensions, with the organisers pouring in huge prize money. Recently there have been tournaments with prize moneys of 24 and 25 lacs in the form of chess festivals. Here comes the record-breaking Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial (LBHM) chess festival (13th to 21st May 2023), Pune, offering a never before 30 lacs and more prize money for the three varieties of tournaments – open, below 1600 and rapid, of course, except Delhi Open. Have you ever heard about a chess festival or a tournament providing a colossal and gigantic six hundred and thirty three prizes in the form of cash, trophies and medals? It is unbelievable and LBHM does so.

30 lacs prize money and 633 prizes

India's latest GM Sayantan Das leads the field with a rating of 2516 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

GM Saptarshi RoyChowdhury is the other grandmaster in the fray until now | Photo: Amruta Mokal

The LBHM chess festival from 13th to 21st May comprises three components – the open tournament from 13th to 17th May, carrying a cash prize of Rs. 14,00,212, rapid rating tournament with a cash prize of two lacs on 18th and the below 1600 rating tournament from 19th to 21st May, which offers another 14 lacs and 22 rupees as the prize money. The total prize money amounts to Rs.30,000,234. In the history in Indian chess, the number of prizes worth one lac or more is the second best after the Delhi Open 2018. While the Delhi Open had 18 prizes (of 1.11 crore rupees), LBHM furnishes 12 such prizes of more than one lac each. An amazing prize structure. Be steady to look at the prizes and let your head not spin.

Prize structure - Open

Prize structure - Below 1600

Prize structure - Rapid

No wonder that already two Grandmasters Sayantan Das and Saptarshi RoyChowdhury both from Railways and West Bengal and seven more international masters including Neelash Saha of West Bengal and young Kushagra Mohan of Telangana have put their names on the roll call.

Apart from the huge prize money, what else does the tournament offer?

• A beautiful venue – Dhruv Global School, Katraj – Undri bypass road, Undri, Pune

• AC playing hall

• Free dormitory accommodation at the venue for 200 persons

• Separate waiting hall for parents

• Free pick up and drop facility from different parts of Pune

• Separate dining hall at a nominal rate

• 90 parents who attend the prize distribution function will get amusement park coupons

Prominent Players Registered So Far

Neelash Saha is a former national junior champion and he is bound to increase the number of grandmasters in India very soon.

IM Neelash Saha a 2436 player who won the Tata Steel Rapid tournament 2022 receives the prize from India's 2nd GM Dibyendu Barua | Photo: Sumit Roy

IM Kushagra Mohan won the team gold medal in the 10th Asia Pacific Youth Sports Games, Russia 2022.

IM Kushagra Mohan recently drew with GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy in the recently concluded Sunway Formentera tournament in Spain | Photo: Patricia Claros Aguilar

International Master K Ratnakaran of Southern Railway is a seasoned chess veteran and a former Asian junior bronze medallist.

IM Ratnakaran K (right) of Southern Railway Vs GM Visakh N R of ICF in the All India Inter Railway Championship 2022 | Photo: IA R Anantharam

IM Abhishek Kelkar finished ninth in the recent Capablanca Chess School rating tournament, Thiruvananthapuram | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Sekhar Sahu IM & FST, one of the senior most trainers in India is in the fray | Photo: Niklesh Jain

IM Ravi Hegde, a veteran enjoying chess

International Master R Balasubramaniam receiving the prize from GM Vishnu Prasanna in a tournament at Sivakasi

The first edition of the LBHM tournament in 2018 was won by IM Rajesh VAV of South Central Railway and the next one was clinched by Grandmaster M R Venkatesh of PSPB. IM Nubairshah Shaikh was the champion in 2012.

Winners of the first three editions of LBHM tournaments | Photo: Tournament circular

The tournament director, 42-years-old Nagnath Halkude, a rated chess player from Sangola, near Sangli in Maharashtra is highly passionate with chess and organises the tournament in memory of his father.

Nagnath Halkude

Nagnath does not want to organise his rating tournament in an ordinary manner like most of the tournaments. He wants to make it special and innovative.

LBHM team May 2022

Entry fee: Rs.7000 for open and below 1600 each. If paid for both before 5th May, it will be Rs.12000. Registration for the tournament has to be done through here. Entries with a late fee of Rs.500 will be accepted until 10th May for the Open. For the below 1600 category, the last date is 10th and with a late fee of Rs.500/-, it is 16th. The entry fee for the rapid tournament is Rs.1000/- until 10th and a late fee of Rs.300/- will be levied and received until 17th.

 

Why do you still wait to join this great tournament? Hurry up and register.

Players list in Open

No. NameIDFideIDFEDRtgsexTypClub/City
1
GMDas, Sayantan650020215034426IND2516Due : AICF Renewal
2
IMNeelash, Saha648120215094160IND2436WB
3
IMKushagra, Mohan2725202125033638IND2400TG
4
GMRoy Chowdhury, Saptarshi281020215002974IND2273Due : AICF Renewal
5
IMRatnakaran, K.486720215005507IND2257KL
6
IMAbhishek, Kelkar241920215019257IND2217MH-Pune
7
IMSahu, Sekhar Chandra472420215000157IND2013S55Due : AICF Renewal
8
Sinha, Sushil Kumar18309920235012015IND1953S55BR
9
IMRamnathan, Balasubramaniam771520215001277IND1929TN
10
IMHegde, Ravi Gopal3020020215000254IND1916S55KA

Details

Players list in Below 1600

No. NameIDFideIDFEDRtgsexTypClub/City
1
Shreya, G Hipparagi43355202125743953IND1573wF13MH
2
Siddhant, Nath Jha9615202135062425IND1564Due : AICF Renewal
3
Saikat, Nath23810202146667180IND1531DL
4
Aaditya, Salunkhe91071202133412596IND1518Due : AICF Renewal
5
Ritish, Chander A15791202145000565IND1508TG
6
Shejal, Sahil Sanjay89265202125605755IND1498Due : AICF Renewal
7
Muchandikar, Shrikant15053202135059599IND1495MH-Pune
8
Pachwadkar, Ansar9085202146645675IND1478MH-Pune
9
Vishal, Vala18463202135078720IND1470Due : AICF Renewal
10
Wadke, Suyog56618202125967096IND1465U15MH-Pune

Details

Players list in Rapid Open

No. NameIDFideIDFEDRtgsexTypClub/City
1
GMDas, Sayantan650020215034426IND2413Due : AICF Renewal
2
GMRoy Chowdhury, Saptarshi281020215002974IND2379Due : AICF Renewal
3
IMNeelash, Saha648120215094160IND2328WB
4
IMKushagra, Mohan2725202125033638IND2308TG
5
GMLaxman, R.R.8697920215005361IND2244ICF
6
IMRatnakaran, K.486720215005507IND2226KL
7
IMAbhishek, Kelkar241920215019257IND2185MH
8
IMSahu, Sekhar Chandra472420215000157IND2016S55Due : AICF Renewal
9
Sinha, Sushil Kumar18309920235012015IND1953S55BR
10
IMHegde, Ravi Gopal3020020215000254IND1940S55KA

Details

Links

Official site

 

The article was edited by Shahid Ahmed

About the Author

Prof. Rathinam Anantharam is an A-grade international arbiter. Member of FIDE Arbiters’ Commission, Chairman of Titles Commission in All India Chess Federation, Vice President of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, Chief Arbiter for six world championships, many Asian, International and National Championships.


Related news:
Arnav Kherdekar triumphs at 1st SMCA Rating Open 2024

@ 31/10/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Anirudhha Potawad dominates 2nd The Chembur Gymkhana Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 12/10/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Anuj Shrivatri dominates 2nd Nagpur One Day Rapid Rating Open 2024 with a perfect score

@ 08/09/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Gaurang Bagwe wins Federal Bank presents 2nd Tarabai Shinde Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 04/09/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Avirat Chauhan wins 1st Uin Sports Rating Open 2024

@ 27/08/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Mihir Shah victorious at 1st Phoenix Marketcity Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 06/08/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Vedant Panesar decimates 2nd G H Raisoni Memorial Pune Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 29/07/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Siddhant Gawai claims a double at 17th G H Raisoni Memorial Chess Festival 2024

@ 06/07/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
ChessBase India invites you to 1st Phoenix Marketcity Rapid Rating Open on International Chess Day

@ 05/07/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Chiranjit Manna wins 11th Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial Below 1800 Rating Tournament 2024

@ 09/06/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Aronyak Ghosh convincingly clinches 12th Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 06/06/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Neelash Saha wins a double for the second consecutive year at LBHM Chess Festival 2024

@ 05/06/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Mitrabha Guha triumphs at 55th Late Shri Babukaka Shirgaokar Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 26/05/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Mitrabha Guha dominates Aavhan Rapid Rating and Blitz Open 2024

@ 25/05/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Vikramaditya Kulkarni dominates Motilalji Firodiya Rating Open 2024 with a perfect 9/9

@ 22/05/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Srinath Narayanan triumphs at MLA Chashak Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 16/05/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Ram Vishal Parab perfect at 1st Tarabai Shinde Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 02/04/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Mitrabha Guha perfect at 2nd Aamdar Chasak Rapid Rating Open 2024, earns a brand new Honda Shine bike

@ 15/03/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sammed Jaykumar Shete wins 1st G H Raisoni Memorial Amravati Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 10/03/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Checkmate Cancer - A tournament for a noble cause on World Cancer Day

@ 24/02/2024 by Varad Deo (en)
Nameet Chavan victorious at Dr. Vijaykumar Gavit Chashak Rapid Rating Open 2024

@ 26/01/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Daksh Goyal and Mrittika Mallick are National Sub-Junior Open and Girls 2023 Champions

@ 10/01/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sammed Shete triumphs at 19th Shri Maheshwaranand Saraswati Memorial Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 20/11/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Himal Gusain dominates 1st G H Raisoni Memorial Pune Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 22/10/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Vikramaditya Kulkarni clinches Accurate Classical Rating Open 2023 with a perfect 7/7

@ 14/10/2023 by Jagannathan Govind (en)
Vaibhav Jayant Raut dominates Bramhapuri Sports City Trophy Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 08/10/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Anirudhha Potawad wins The Chembur Gymkhana 1st Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 29/09/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Kartavya Anadkat dominates Rotary Thane Midtown Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 05/09/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Mitrabha Guha wins 1st JK's ECA One Day Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 04/09/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Kartik, Ayush and Kartavya are the winners of 16th G H Raisoni Memorial Chess Festival 2023

@ 02/08/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Priyanshu Patil wins Late Ramesh Vinayakrao Kotwal Memorial Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 22/07/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Disha Patil dominates 1st Maharashtra Chess Festival Below 1600 Rating Tournament 2023

@ 19/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sailesh R clinches 1st Maharashtra Chess Festival Below 2000 Rating Tournament 2023

@ 15/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
S Rohith Krishna aces 2nd Maharashtra GM Open 2023

@ 11/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
S Rohith Krishna on the verge of winning 2nd Maharashtra GM Open 2023

@ 08/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Vidit Gujrathi and Raunak Sadhwani win the Maharashtra Challenge Match 2023

@ 08/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
2nd Maharashtra GM 2023 R9: S Rohith Krishna emerges sole leader

@ 07/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Diptayan Ghosh and Sammed Shete win 1st RCPP Rapid and Blitz Rating Open 2023

@ 07/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
विदित और रौनक नें जीता महाराष्ट्र चैस चैलेंज मैच

@ 06/06/2023 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
2nd Maharashtra GM 2023 R8: S Rohith Krishna joins Vedant Panesar and Milosz Szpar in the lead

@ 06/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
2nd Maharashtra GM 2023 R7: Milosz and Vedant Panesar are the coleaders

@ 05/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
महाराष्ट्र ग्रांड मास्टर चैलेंज - विदित और रौनक नें क्लासिकल में मारी बाजी

@ 05/06/2023 by Niklesh Jain (hi)
2nd Maharashtra GM 2023 R5-6: Vedant Panesar squashes Boris Savchenko in 20 moves!

@ 04/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
2nd Maharashtra GM 2023 R4: Raahul makes an incredible save against Luka

@ 04/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
2nd Maharashtra GM 2023 R2-3: Sammed, Luka, Raahul and Harshad make a perfect start 3/3

@ 02/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
2nd Maharashtra GM 2023 R1: Arya and Goutham score big upsets

@ 01/06/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Nagpur to host Vidit vs Svidler, Raunak vs Short + 3 tournaments at the Maharashtra Chess Festival 2023

@ 29/05/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Aahan Sharma wins LBHM Chess Festival 8th Below 1600 Rating Tournament 2023

@ 22/05/2023 by R Anantharam (en)
Double delight for Neelash Saha at LBHM Chess Festival 9th Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 20/05/2023 by R Anantharam (en)
Neelash Saha wins Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial Chess Festival 7th Rating Open 2023

@ 18/05/2023 by R Anantharam (en)
Aakash Sharadchandra Dalvi wins 1st Anjanibai Deshbhratar Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 17/05/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sanskar Gaigore wins All India Below 1600 Rating Tournament 2023

@ 15/05/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Gaurang Bagwe clinches 1st MLA Chasak Rapid Rating Open 2023 convincingly

@ 03/05/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Shanmukha Pulli wins SBI Life Rating Open 2023

@ 28/04/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Get ready for Buldana Urban Maharashtra State Under 17 Open and Girls Selection Chess Championship 2023

@ 17/03/2023 by Ankush Raktade (en)
Shriraj Bhosale is the winner of Khasdar Chashak Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 16/03/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sammed Shete dominates Shri Maheshwaranand Saraswati Memorial Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 06/03/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Prasannaa S decimates MLA Chashak Rating Open 2023 with a perfect 9/9

@ 23/02/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Shantanu Bhambure dominates 1st GCH Sharad Pawar Rapid Rating Open 2023

@ 27/01/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Jaiveer Mahendru clinches 360 One Mumbai Junior U-13 Rating 2022

@ 19/01/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sourabh Mhamane dominates 360 One Mumbai Rating Open 2022

@ 17/01/2023 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
12-year-old Kushagra Jain triumphs at 1st TMCA Rating Open 2022

@ 08/12/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Diptayan Ghosh dominates 3rd Dombivli Kalyan Rapid Rating Open 2022

@ 07/12/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Prasannaa victorious at Shantikumarji Firodia Rating Open 2022

@ 03/12/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Gowrichander wins Nagpur Below 1600 Rating Tournament 2022

@ 09/09/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Priyanshu Patil wins 5th Young Masters Rapid Open 2022

@ 31/08/2022 by Ganga Pant (en)
Rupam, Anwesh and Siddhant Gawai are the winners at 15th G H Raisoni Memorial Chess Festival 2022

@ 14/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Farrukh Amonatov wins 1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022, Arjun Kalyan third

@ 09/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R10: Three-way race between Amonatov, Aleksandrov and Arjun Kalyan

@ 08/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sohil Shaikh wins 1st Pune Open Below 2000 Rating Tournament 2022

@ 07/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R9: Aditya Samant becomes the new International Master of India

@ 07/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R8: Resilient Aditya Mittal

@ 06/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R7: Deep, Arjun Kalyan and Aditya Mittal in pursuit

@ 05/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R5-6: Srihari L R shines

@ 04/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R4: The Aditya Samant Ascension

@ 03/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R2-3: An epic king hunt by Anup Deshmukh

@ 02/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022 R1: Praloy Sahoo stuns Chakravarthi Reddy

@ 01/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Aravindh Chithambaram scores a hat-trick by clinching 1st Rejoice CTF Rapid Rating Open 2022

@ 11/05/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Aravindh Chithambaram successfully retains his National Blitz Chess Championship

@ 02/05/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Aravindh Chithambaram becomes the MPL National Rapid Champion 2022

@ 30/04/2022 by Sagar Shah (en)
MPL National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2022 preview

@ 20/04/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Diptayan Ghosh clinches 2nd Dombivli Kalyan Rapid Rating Open 2021

@ 02/01/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Anish Gandhi wins Late Shripad Kulkarni Memorial All India Rating Open

@ 19/12/2021 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Women's Day Special: LBHM One Day Rapid witnesses over 330 players participation

@ 12/03/2020 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Soham Datar wins 4th Young Masters Rapid Open 2020

@ 11/03/2020 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Sriram Sarja wins 3rd Young Masters Rapid Chess Open 2020

@ 14/02/2020 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Nubairshah wins Late R B Sapre Memorial Open Rapid Rating 2020

@ 30/01/2020 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Raghubar and Kanchan win Old Monk's Pune District Veterans Open and Women's Rapid

@ 28/01/2020 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Let's remember our first national champion of India - R B Sapre

@ 14/01/2020 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Rutuja Bakshi creates history by winning Maharashtra State Open 2019

@ 16/11/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Om Kadam and Shruti Kale win Maharashtra State selection under-11 2019

@ 14/09/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Aditya Samant wins Young Masters Rapid with a 100% score

@ 06/09/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Maharashtra State Schools witness over 600 participants

@ 04/09/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Nikhil Dixit wins Varadraj Memorial All India Rapid Rating 2019

@ 11/06/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
16-year-old Keval Nirgun wins Late Babukaka Shirgaokar Open at Sangli

@ 04/06/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en)

Contact Us