Raja Rithvik, studying 10th class in Orchids International School, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, got his 1st GM Norm by scoring 6 points out of 9 rounds. He has scored 3 wins and 6 draws against top players from Georgia, Spain, Argentina, Israel etc. In this prestigious championship, Rithvik has played against six Grand Masters and defeated one GM and drew with five GMs. He had played against 2 IMs and defeated one IM and drew with another IM. Raja Rithvik has got the distinction of being the undefeated player in the tournament. In the 2nd round itself Raja Rithvik has created sensation by defeating the reputed Spain Grand Master Narciso Dublan Marc. Very interestingly, Raja Rithvik playing with white pieces, on 21st move, has sacrificed his Bishop and Rook and captured the black Queen in the middle of the Board and eventually checkmated the Senior Grand Master on 34th Move. Further in 4th round, playing attackingly with black pieces, he has defeated IM Sosa Tomas (Argentina) in 38 moves very convincingly. Further, Rithvik has drawn his games against Grand Masters who are much higher rated players such as GM Arizmendi Martinez Julen Luis (Spain), GM Alonso Rosell Alvar (Spain), GM Del Rio De Angelis Salvador (Spain) and IM Zana Evgeny (Israel). With his superb performance in this tournament, Raja Rithvik has improved his rating by 26 points from 2381 to 2407.
Rithvik, clinched his 1st GM Norm in Elllobregat International Open 2019, Spain which is one of the biggest International Chess Championships conducted in Spain. Around 130 players from 28 countries such as Russia, Germany, India, China, France, Ukraine, Poland, Israel, Singapore, Georgia, Argentina have participated in the tournament. 20 Grand Masters and 35 International Masters have participated in the event.
Raja Rithvik, has been undergoing advanced coaching at RACE Chess Academy under the Reputed Coach N.V.S. Rama Raju. The coach said “considering his age of only 15 years, it is an excellent achievement and he will bring many more laurels to the country”. On this occasion, Sri A. Venkateswar Reddy, Chairman, Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS), Sri Dinakar Babu (VC & MD), SATS, Telangana State Chess Association President Sri A. Narasimha Reddy and General Secretary Sri K. S. Prasad have congratulated Raja Rithvik for winning his First Grand Master Norm in Spain and hoped that, with his sharpness on the board, Rithvik will become Grand Master soon.
