COB Revival - Prakhar, Joel, Vivek & Samay Qualifies to Semifinals

by Vivek Sohani - 03/06/2026

The Comedians On Board (COB) Revival has moved into the knockout stage after a dramatic shift in momentum. Day 1 leaders Prakhar and Joel faced a tough second day, while Super PogChamps winner Samay Raina rose to the occasion as always to turn the tables. Samay not only defeated Trace in the final round of the round-robin stage but also clinched their Armageddon tiebreaker with the Black pieces. Meanwhile, Vivek Desai remained unbeaten on Day 2, comfortably securing his spot in the semifinals. Photos : IA/NI Vivek Sohani

Vivek Desai remains unbeaten on Day 2; Samay gets his momentum!

What a beautiful setup here in Habitat, Mumbai! Looks like a Super grandmaster Tournament Happening! Photo : Vivek Sohani

Round 5:

Samay Raina vs. Vivek Desai (0-1)

The game began with a Sicilian Defense, but Samay quickly found himself overextending his pawns early in the opening. Precision moves like 10.exd6 and a critical blunder with 12.f5?? from Samay handed Vivek a decisive edge early on. From there, Vivek played with absolute smoothness utilizing his resources and time highly efficiently to secure his first victory of Day 2 and drastically boost his chances for the playoffs.

Joel Dsouza vs. Prakhar Gupta (0-1)

Table Toppers Joel D'Souza and Prakhar Gupta delivered one of the most dramatic games of Round 5, featuring a wildly swinging evaluation bar as both players missed multiple tactical opportunities under severe time pressure.

Emerging from a balanced Jobava System, Joel built up serious kingside pressure and looked to have a winning position after Black’s 24...Ne4?. However, he failed to capitalize on the advantage by missing the powerful 25.Nxf7. The game quickly dissolved into a chaotic tactical battle, with both sides trading blunders before a critical mistake 42.Nf3? suddenly turned the tables in Black’s favor.

Despite giving Joel a late lifeline with 49...h5, Prakhar kept his composure in the ensuing rook-and-pawn endgame. He smoothly converted his extra material, marching his passed b-pawn down the board to force a promotion. It was a masterclass in resilience and resourcefulness from Prakhar, who survived several razor-thin moments to secure the full point after a fiercely contested encounter.

Vaibhav Sehtia vs. Anirban Das Gupta (0-1)

Vaibhav Sethia gained a promising advantage out of the Scandinavian opening and looked well placed to convert, but Anirban Das Gupta gradually generated counterplay on the kingside. As time pressure mounted, White's advantage slipped away, and a series of inaccuracies allowed Black's pieces to seize the initiative. Anirban capitalized on the opportunity, launching a decisive attack that culminated in a forced mating sequence, completing an impressive comeback victory.

Trace Alison vs. Balraj Singh Ghai (1-0)

Trace Alison outplayed Balraj Singh Ghai in a closely contested Sicilian Defense, gradually taking control in the rook endgame after Black's inaccurate queenside play. The decisive moment came when 39...Nxd5 allowed White to win material and create a dangerous passed a-pawn. Trace converted confidently, promoting the pawn and finishing the game with a neat mating attack, concluding with the elegant checkmate 54.Bxg5#.

Round 6:

In a must-win encounter to keep his title hopes alive, Samay Raina delivered his most impressive performance of the tournament, handing previously unbeaten leader Prakhar Gupta his first defeat. Facing the Budapest Defense, Prakhar enjoyed a comfortable position out of the opening but allowed the initiative to slip with a series of inaccuracies in the middlegame. Samay seized his chance, steadily increasing the pressure before launching a powerful queenside assault that left White's king exposed and helpless. With active rooks dominating the open files and Black's pieces swarming around the king, the position quickly became overwhelming, forcing resignation after 31...Bc4+. The victory not only ended Prakhar's perfect 5/5 start but also thrust Samay firmly back into contention, rising to the occasion when the tournament stakes were at their highest.

Trace Alison vs. Joel Dsouza (1-0)

One of the wildest games of the tournament saw Trace Alison defeat Joel Dsouza in a dramatic battle filled with twists, missed opportunities, and repeated changes in momentum. Joel obtained a winning position out of the middlegame and remained in control for much of the contest, but a crucial mistake with 40...Bh4?? allowed Trace to regain the initiative. What followed was an extraordinary time scramble in which both players missed multiple winning continuations and even forced mates. Despite spending long stretches on the defensive, Trace kept fighting and was ultimately rewarded when Joel's king wandered into a mating net, allowing the stunning finish 78.Qd6#. The victory kept Trace firmly in the race while ending Joel's hopes after a game that perfectly captured the chaos and excitement of rapid chess.

Vivek Desai vs. Vaibhav Sehia (1-0)

Vivek Desai defeated Vaibhav Sethia in a sharp English Opening where Black’s 12...Qf7?? and 17...Nd7?? proved decisive blunders. Vivek quickly exploited the tactical weaknesses, especially after 18.Bxd5, which left Black completely busted and forced resignation shortly after, giving Vivek a clean and efficient win.

Balraj Singh Ghai vs Anirban Das Gupta (0-1)

A sharp Scandinavian where early tactical skirmishes led to uneven development, with Black gradually taking over the initiative after White’s overambitious central and kingside attempts. Once the queenside opened, Black’s active pieces dominated key files and diagonals, and White’s king became exposed. The game ended in a forced attacking sequence where Black’s coordination proved decisive and sealed the full point.

Round 7:

Samay Raina vs, Trace Alison (1-0)

A tense Slav Defense where the opening remained roughly balanced, but Trace's early inaccuracies in structure and coordination gradually gave Samay the kind of position he thrives in: slightly asymmetric, open enough for piece activity, and rich in tactical resources. The critical phase began when Black’s queenside and king coordination started to drift after repeated queen maneuvers and weakening pawn moves. Samay’s conversion wasn’t immediate but methodical he steadily improved piece placement while forcing Black’s king to remain passive under latent tactical threats. Once Black allowed the position to open further and misjudged defensive resources around the king, the position collapsed into a forced mating net. The final sequence was clean and instructive: coordinated rook and queen activity restricted the king completely, culminating in a direct mate on move 65. The significance of this win goes beyond the board: it was a must-win scenario for Samay in the standings context, effectively keeping him alive in the tournament race and pushing him into an Armageddon-deciding situation. The game reflected his trademark resilience absorbing early pressure, waiting for structural cracks, and then converting decisively when the position demanded precision.

Anirban Das Gupta vs. Vivek Desai (1/2-1/2)

A tense Rapport-Jobava structure where White slowly drifted into a worse kingside setup after 9.Bg3?? and Black gained long-term pressure through …g5 and central control, but instead of converting cleanly Black allowed counterplay after inaccurate simplifications around the queen trade phase (24.Bxf2+ and 25…Qxf2+), leading to an equal rook-and-minor-piece middlegame. Despite Black maintaining a persistent initiative with active rooks and better king coordination into the endgame, neither side found a decisive breakthrough in the heavy piece simplification phase, and the position ultimately stabilized into perpetual rook activity and forced repetition patterns, resulting in a draw. With this draw, Vivek secured third spot into the Semifinals after Prakhar and Joel.

Joel Dsouza vs. Balraj Singh Ghai (1-0)

Joel Dsouza’s win over Balraj Singh Ghai in this sharp Rapport–Jobava game was decisive, as Balraj’s early opening collapse left him defending for most of the game without ever recovering, ultimately pushing Joel into the semifinals. Despite not scoring a single win in the round, Balraj stayed cheerful throughout, which stood out as one of the most memorable and sportsmanlike moments of the event.

Vaibhav Sethia vs. Prakhar Gupta (0-1)

Prakhar Gupta sealed a commanding win over Vaibhav Sethia in a sharp Scandinavian clash, steadily converting a growing initiative into full control after White’s early inaccuracies. The result not only added another confident point to his tally but also ensured he clinched the top spot in the standings. Despite the loss and missing out on key momentum, Vaibhav fought on in a complicated position, while Prakhar’s consistency throughout the round made the difference in the race to the top.

Fight for the Last Spot : The Armageddon!

Samay Raina advanced to the semifinals after a dramatic Armageddon encounter against Trace Alison, where the unusual bidding battle itself set the tone before a single move was played both players initially locked at 10 minutes, and in second instance a rare 9:59 bid ultimately forced a color toss.

Once the game began, Samay held his nerve in a sharp Sicilian battle, gradually turning up the pressure in a tense, fast-paced struggle where both sides had to navigate complex positions under extreme time constraints. In the end, Samay’s composure in the chaos proved decisive, securing a crucial win and a spot in the semifinals in one of the most chaotic and entertaining games of the event.