Selvamurugan B wins Port City Rating Open 2025
Selvamurugan B, Sham R and FM Prasannaa S scored 7.5/9 each at Port City Rating Open 2025. Selvamurugan won the tournament on tie-breaks. Sham and Prasannaa were placed second and third respectively according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹600000. The top three prizes were ₹75000, ₹50000 and ₹30000 alomg with a trophy each respectively. The five-day nine round Swiss League Rating Open Tournament was organized by Thoothukudi District Chess Association at Community Hall, VOC Port Authority in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu from 1st to 5th October 2025. This is Selvamurugan's fourth overall, second rating tournament triumph of the year. Photo: IA R Anantharam
Selvamurugan's fourth tournament triumph of the year
Local star B Selvamurugan of Thoothukudi won the Port City FIDE rated chess tournament, organized by Thoothukudi District Chess Association at the VOC Chidambaranar Port campus. The former Asian Amateur Silver medalist, Sham R of Chennai and former Tamil Nadu champion S Prasannaa scored 7.5 points each to tie for the first place, Selvamurugan had a better tiebreak, thus he was declared the winner. Selvamurugan received ₹75000 for winning the tournament; Sham collected ₹50000 and Prasannaa was credited with ₹30000 in his bank account.
The overnight leader of the penultimate round, Sham R lost to the former Tamil Nadu champion S Prasannaa in the final round. This helped Selvamurugan to equalize the points tally with them and win the title, having the highest Buchholz Cut 1 value among the three.
Sham’s younger brother also had a good run in the tournament, ending up with the fourth rank.
Former Tamil Nadu Junior champion FM P Maheswaran drew his final round game to finish fifth. The opponent Gokula Vishnu R of Chennai achieved the seventh rank.
The final round duel between V Kanishkaraj and Ayyappan P Santhana Prabu (both from Chennai) was in favour of Kanishk, helping him secure the sixth slot.
I Kirpesh of Sivakasi scored the eighth position, by beating C Hariswar of Thoothukudi.
Shree Hari Palaniappa S of Karaikudi defeated 11-year-old former Tamil Nadu under-9 champion Akil Sethu G of Sattur, helping himself to reach ninth rank.
Revlin Ram R H of Nagercoil obtained the tenth rank by beating P Janani of Aruppukottai.
Champion Selvamurugan’s younger brother B Velmurugan had the lowest tiebreak score among those who scored seven points.
Thoothukudi, an industrial city having the highest Human Development Index, next to Chennai in Tamil Nadu is popularly known as Pearl City due to its historical pearl fishing in the Gulf of Mannar. It houses many corporate industries like salt manufacturing, power production, shipping and fertilisers.
The sponsor of the tournament, V O Chidambaranar Port in Thoothukudi is one of the 13 major ports in India. The artificial port is the second largest in Tamil Nadu and third-largest container terminal in India. It has services to the USA, China, Sri Lanka, European and Mediterranean countries.
Tiruchendur, located on the shoreline overlooking the Gulf of Mannar and one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga is less than an hour drive from the venue.
Thoothukudi District Chess Association is one of the very few hyperactive chess associations in Tamil Nadu, organizing several rating tournaments, state championships, state and district level tournaments, arbiter seminars, refresher courses, fair play seminars etc. Under the efficient guidance of the president Mr. Joe Prakash, the secretary, Dr. T Kanagavalli, the only lady secretary in Tamil Nadu, runs the association smoothly.
A total of 210 players took part from various states all over the country. The five-day nine round Swiss League Rating Open Tournament was organized by Thoothukudi District Chess Association at Community Hall, VOC Port Authority in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu from 1st to 5th October 2025. The time control was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment.
Final standings
| Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Selvamurugan, B | IND | 2025 | TN-TUT | 7,5 | 51 | 55 | 45 | |
| 2 | 2 | Sham, R | IND | 2123 | TN | 7,5 | 50,5 | 54 | 44 | |
| 3 | 1 | FM | Prasannaa.S, | IND | 2150 | TN | 7,5 | 45,5 | 49,5 | 41 |
| 4 | 3 | Sailesh, R | IND | 2064 | TN | 7 | 52 | 56,5 | 41,8 | |
| 5 | 5 | FM | Maheswaran, P. | IND | 2049 | TN | 7 | 51,5 | 55,5 | 42 |
| 6 | 4 | Kanishkaraj, V | IND | 2059 | TN | 7 | 50,5 | 55 | 41,8 | |
| 7 | 7 | Gokula, Vishnu R | IND | 1954 | TN | 7 | 49,5 | 54,5 | 40,3 | |
| 8 | 19 | Kirpesh, I | IND | 1739 | TN | 7 | 49 | 53 | 38,8 | |
| 9 | 12 | Shree, Hari Palaniappa S | IND | 1845 | TN | 7 | 47,5 | 52 | 39,3 | |
| 10 | 9 | Revlin, Ram R H | IND | 1892 | TN | 7 | 47 | 50,5 | 37,3 | |
| 11 | 16 | Vel, Murugan B | IND | 1765 | TN-TUT | 7 | 43 | 47 | 36 | |
| 12 | 8 | Ayyappan, P Santhana Prabu | IND | 1919 | TN | 6,5 | 50 | 54,5 | 36,8 | |
| 13 | 35 | Anbu, Selvan Petchimuthu | IND | 1624 | TN-TUT | 6,5 | 50 | 51 | 32,5 | |
| 14 | 13 | Saravanan, | IND | 1836 | TN | 6,5 | 49,5 | 54 | 36,5 | |
| 15 | 25 | Ishvin, Joshua R | IND | 1694 | TN-TUT | 6,5 | 49,5 | 53 | 35,3 | |
| 16 | 11 | Mohammed, Tharig S | IND | 1883 | TN | 6,5 | 48 | 52 | 36 | |
| 17 | 10 | Maniswar, C | IND | 1886 | TN-TUT | 6,5 | 48 | 52 | 35,5 | |
| 18 | 17 | Hari, Prasath D | IND | 1756 | TN-TUT | 6,5 | 45,5 | 48 | 31,5 | |
| 19 | 41 | Rishinandhan, Sudarsan | IND | 1607 | TN | 6,5 | 43 | 46 | 30,8 | |
| 20 | 14 | Madhavakrishnan, R | IND | 1828 | TN | 6 | 50 | 54,5 | 34,5 |
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. Nominated as one of the top seven arbiters in the world for the past hundred years by FIDE.
The report was edited by Shahid Ahmed
