Raunak Sadhwani wins FIDE World Junior Rapid 2023 Open, Second in Blitz
GM Raunak Sadhwani scored 8.5/11 to win FIDE World Junior Rapid 2023 Open. He finished a half point ahead of the field. Despite suffering two losses in the first five rounds, the teenager won the next four games, drew the penultimate round against the eventual Silver medalist GM Arseniy Nesterov. He finished with a victory over IM Tobias Koelle (GER) to become a clear champion. GM Nesterov and IM Dimitris Alexakis (GRE) were placed second and third respectively according to tie-breaks. GM Mahammad Muradli (AZE) won the Blitz Open event scoring 9.5/11. GM Raunak Sadhwani scored sole 8.5/11 to be placed second. IM Arystan Isanzhulov (KAZ) was placed third. This is Raunak's second consecutive triumph of the month after winning 38th European Club Cup 2023 Open for Offerspill Sjakklubb along with Magnus Carlsen and Pranav Venkatesh. Photos: Nikiel.Photos
Raunak continues his good form
World Junior 2022 Girls champion, WGM Govhar Beydullayeva (AZE) won the Rapid Girls event 9/11. The Blitz Girls event was won by WIM Xeniya Balabayeva (KAZ). The top three prizes in Rapid and Blitz Open were €2500, €1700 and €1300 each. For Rapid and Blitz Girls, they were €1500, €1000 and €700 each respectively.
A total of 46 players including 5 GMs and 9 IMs took part from 25 countries across the world in the Open section of the Rapid event. The tournament was organized by Unichess and ASD Emmedi Sport with FIDE and Italian Chess Federation on 10th to 12th October 2023 at Maria Carta in Pula, Sardinia, Italy. The eleven-round Swiss league tournament had a time control of 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment from move no. 1.
Replay Rapid Open games
Replay Rapid Girls games
Final standings in Rapid Open
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | RtgI | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | K | rtg+/- | ||
| 1 | 1 | GM | Sadhwani, Raunak | IND | 2591 | 8,5 | 67,5 | 71 | 5 | 8 | 10 | -5,2 | |
| 2 | 2 | GM | Nesterov, Arseniy | FID | 2539 | 8 | 71 | 76 | 6 | 5 | 10 | -3 | |
| 3 | 10 | IM | Alexakis, Dimitris | GRE | 2365 | 8 | 70,5 | 75,5 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 40,4 | |
| 4 | 13 | IM | Globus, Or | ISR | 2327 | 8 | 65,5 | 67 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 45 | |
| 5 | 11 | IM | Koelle, Tobias | GER | 2339 | 7,5 | 66,5 | 71,5 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 35,2 | |
| 6 | 17 | IM | Isanzhulov, Arystan | KAZ | 2288 | 7,5 | 65 | 69,5 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 37,4 | |
| 7 | 7 | GM | Subelj, Jan | SLO | 2439 | 7,5 | 63,5 | 68 | 5 | 7 | 10 | -1,4 | |
| 8 | 3 | IM | Sahidi, Samir | SVK | 2493 | 7 | 63 | 66,5 | 5 | 6 | 10 | -15,5 | |
| 9 | 12 | IM | Martinovici, Ilia | MDA | 2329 | 7 | 60 | 64,5 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 4,8 | |
| 10 | 15 | FM | Lumachi, Gabriele | ITA | 2305 | 7 | 59 | 62,5 | 6 | 6 | 20 | -2,8 |
Final standings in Rapid Girls
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | RtgI | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | K | rtg+/- | ||
| 1 | 2 | WGM | Beydullayeva, Govhar | AZE | 2178 | 2178 | 9 | 66,5 | 72 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 18,8 | |
| 2 | 4 | WIM | Balabayeva, Xeniya | KAZ | 2103 | 2103 | 8,5 | 67 | 72 | 6 | 7 | 40 | 58 | |
| 3 | 11 | WIM | Sultanbek, Zeinep | KAZ | 1993 | 1993 | 7,5 | 67 | 69,5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 51,4 | |
| 4 | 3 | WIM | Nurgali, Nazerke | KAZ | 2111 | 2111 | 7,5 | 66,5 | 71,5 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 18,6 | |
| 5 | 5 | FM | Kurmangaliyeva, Liya | KAZ | 2089 | 2089 | 7 | 65 | 68 | 6 | 7 | 40 | 21,2 | |
| 6 | 12 | WFM | Ciolacu, Alessia-Mihaela | ROU | 1980 | 1980 | 6,5 | 66,5 | 69,5 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 34,4 | |
| 7 | 14 | Bordin, Silvia | ITA | 1969 | 1969 | 6,5 | 59 | 61 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 45,2 | ||
| 8 | 15 | WFM | Kirtadze, Anastasia | GEO | 1963 | 1963 | 6 | 65 | 67 | 6 | 5 | 40 | 45,2 | |
| 9 | 21 | Hernandez Diaz, Paula Sofia | MEX | 1824 | 1824 | 6 | 63,5 | 67,5 | 5 | 6 | 40 | 143,6 | ||
| 10 | 9 | WFM | Sevcikova, Lucia | SVK | 2020 | 2020 | 6 | 60,5 | 63,5 | 5 | 3 | 40 | -50,4 |
A total of 39 players including 5 GMs and 9 IMs took part from 25 countries across the world in the Open section of the Blitz event. The tournament was organized by Unichess and ASD Emmedi Sport with FIDE and Italian Chess Federation on 14th and 15th October 2023 at Maria Carta in Pula, Sardinia, Italy. The eleven-round Swiss league tournament had a time control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment from move no. 1.
Replay Blitz Open games
Replay Blitz Girls games
Final standings in Blitz Open
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | RtgI | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | K | rtg+/- | ||
| 1 | 2 | GM | Muradli, Mahammad | AZE | 2519 | 9,5 | 71 | 75,5 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 32,3 | |
| 2 | 1 | GM | Sadhwani, Raunak | IND | 2669 | 8,5 | 70 | 75,5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | -1,6 | |
| 3 | 11 | IM | Isanzhulov, Arystan | KAZ | 2392 | 7,5 | 69,5 | 74 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 22,2 | |
| 4 | 6 | GM | Nesterov, Arseniy | FID | 2494 | 7,5 | 64,5 | 68,5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | -6,1 | |
| 5 | 3 | IM | Alexakis, Dimitris | GRE | 2512 | 7 | 71,5 | 77 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 2,5 | |
| 6 | 5 | GM | Subelj, Jan | SLO | 2505 | 7 | 71 | 75,5 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 3,3 | |
| 7 | 9 | GM | Gharibyan, Mamikon | ARM | 2432 | 7 | 70,5 | 75,5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8,9 | |
| 8 | 4 | IM | Koelle, Tobias | GER | 2507 | 7 | 69,5 | 73,5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | -0,9 | |
| 9 | 7 | IM | Sahidi, Samir | SVK | 2494 | 7 | 67 | 70,5 | 6 | 6 | 10 | -7,6 | |
| 10 | 8 | IM | Peyrer, Konstantin | AUT | 2476 | 7 | 65,5 | 70 | 6 | 7 | 10 | -4,1 |
Final standings in Blitz Girls
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | RtgI | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | K | rtg+/- | ||
| 1 | 1 | WIM | Balabayeva, Xeniya | KAZ | 2222 | 8,5 | 67 | 71 | 6 | 7 | 40 | 1,6 | |
| 2 | 6 | WIM | Kairbekova, Amina | KAZ | 2025 | 8,5 | 65,5 | 68,5 | 5 | 8 | 40 | 124 | |
| 3 | 2 | WGM | Beydullayeva, Govhar | AZE | 2124 | 7,5 | 64,5 | 67,5 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 8,2 | |
| 4 | 9 | FM | Kurmangaliyeva, Liya | KAZ | 2015 | 7 | 67,5 | 72 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 52,4 | |
| 5 | 7 | WIM | Hryzlova, Sofiia | SUI | 2024 | 7 | 63,5 | 66,5 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 12,6 | |
| 6 | 8 | WIM | Sultanbek, Zeinep | KAZ | 2019 | 6,5 | 66 | 69,5 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 10,6 | |
| 7 | 3 | WIM | Nurgali, Nazerke | KAZ | 2074 | 6,5 | 62,5 | 66,5 | 5 | 5 | 20 | -6 | |
| 8 | 16 | Esadze, Tamari | GEO | 1916 | 6,5 | 54,5 | 57,5 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 22 | ||
| 9 | 5 | WFM | Miroshnik, Ekaterina | FID | 2027 | 6 | 69,5 | 72,5 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 3 | |
| 10 | 15 | WFM | Ciolacu, Alessia-Mihaela | ROU | 1937 | 6 | 61,5 | 64,5 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 14,6 |
