Telangana's Raja Rithvik wins silver at International chess tournament in France
Telangana’s GM Raja Rithvik clinched the silver medal at the La Plagne International Chess Tournament in France, amassing seven points over nine rounds.
Ranked ninth at the start, Rithvik showcased an impressive unbeaten streak, winning five matches and drawing four. The tournament saw participation from 184 players representing 22 countries.
Rithvik tied for the silver medal with GM Iniyan Panneerselvam, both scoring seven points. However, Rithvik secured second place based on the tie-break rule. The top honor went to GM Moussard Jules of France, who finished with 7.5 points. The final round witnessed a 28-move draw between Jules (playing white) and Rithvik (playing black).
An engineering student at KL University, the Hyderabad-based Rithvik trains at RACE Chess Academy under the mentorship of N. Rama Raju, who has previously coached GM Dronavalli Harika. Additionally, Rithvik receives online coaching from Alexander Goloshchapov of Ukraine.
Rithvik's achievements this year also include a silver in the 2024 National Blitz Championship and a bronze in the National Rapid Championship held in March.
"I congratulate Grandmaster Raja Rithvik who hails from Manthani,Peddapally.
He was undefeated in the Tourney & missed the championship title by only half a point.
Wishing him the best and assuring all support in his journey ahead," Revanth Reddy wrote on X.com
K.S. Prasad, President of the Telangana State Chess Association, congratulated Rithvik on his runner-up finish and expressed hope for his continued success at the highest levels of the game.
