Sankalp becomes 2nd GM from Orange City

Nagpur, Nov 7

Sunday would be remembered as red-letter day in the city chess fraternity as 18-year-old Sankalp Gupta became the second Grand Master from the orange city after Raunak Sadhwani. In the process, he has become 71 GM of India.

In the round-robin tournament at Serbia , Sankalp achieved his third norm to become GM and that too within a span of just one month.

In the nine-round tournament Sankalp finished second with 6.5 points. wheres Russian Makarian Rudik won the event with 6.5 points.

Sankalp whose live ELO rating is 2504 has become GM by earning three norms. It requires 2500 rating to become GM. Sankalp started his campaign on a winning defeating IM Sturt Raven in the first round. In the second round, Sankalp lost to Makarian Rudik. However, in the third round he bounced back and stunned GM Damljanovic Branko. In the fourth round also Sankalp playing in a positive frame of mind defeated IM Petkov Momchil.

the fifth round saw Sankalp surprising GM Milanvic Danilo. Then in consecutive three rounds, Sankalp was held to a draw by Indias Nitin S, IM Dudin Gleb and then by GM Kosic Dragan. However, Sankalp ended the tournament on a positive note defeating Krishna Teja N in the last round. Sankalp's coach Nayandeep Kotangale has expressed happiness over Sankalp becoming GM.

We feel very proud: Mother

Sankalp's mother Suman Gupta has expressed happiness over her son's outstanding feat. “ We really feel proud that Sankalp has become GM at such a young age. His efforts finally paid dividends. To earn three GM norms at that within a span of just one month is not easy but Sankalp has achieved it. We are planning a grand welcome when he will arrive in the city”, she said.