Telangana GM Rithvik wins silver, TN’s Rohit bags gold at Menuires International Chess

Telangana’s Grandmaster Raja Rithvik put up a stellar, undefeated performance to clinch the silver medal, while Tamil Nadu’s Grandmaster S Rohith Krishna bagged the gold at the prestigious Menuires International Chess Championship in Menuires, France, on Saturday.

Entering the tournament as the 4th seed, the Hyderabad-based Grandmaster scored an impressive 7.0 points out of 9 rounds in a highly competitive field that featured 86 top players from across the globe, including France, India, China, Germany, Poland, Netherlands and Italy. Demonstrating exceptional tactical dominance, Rithvik remained unbeaten throughout the championship, securing 5 wins and 4 draws.

The championship witnessed a thrilling all-India race to the top. Both GM Rohith Krishna of Tamil Nadu and GM Raja Rithvik finished tied at the pole position with 7.0 points each. Following a close tie-break calculation, GM Rohith Krishna (tie-break score of 43) claimed the gold medal, while GM Raja Rithvik (tie-break score of 41.5) earned the silver medal. France’s GM Omelja Artem secured the bronze medal with 6.5 points.

Raja Rithvik pulled off a spectacular victory by defeating the much higher-rated French Grandmaster Lagarde Maxime in the final round

In a dramatic final 9th round, playing with black pieces, GM Raja Rithvik, who has a rating of 2521, pulled off a spectacular victory by defeating the much higher-rated French Grandmaster Lagarde Maxime, whose rating is 2622, sealing his podium finish in style.

Rithvik, who is currently pursuing his engineering degree at KL University in Hyderabad, undergoes advanced training at the RACE Chess Academy under the guidance of renowned coach N Rama Raju, and receives online coaching from Super Grandmaster Alexander Goloshchapov of Ukraine.

Telangana Chess Association warmly congratulated GM Raja Rithvik on this magnificent international achievement. Raja Rithvik continues to bring immense pride to Telangana and India. His unbeaten run in France, capped off by a phenomenal final-round win against a 2600+ rated player, proves his world-class caliber.

Having already represented the country at the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 in Goa and won numerous medals at the National, Commonwealth, and Asian levels, this silver medal is yet another milestone in his illustrious career.