The Grandmasters Series Championship concluded on Wednesday. Over 150,000 participants from across the country participated in this prestigious event, showcasing their talent in games like chess, blind chess, and rummy.
Sports News: The Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF) Grandmasters Series Championship concluded on Wednesday. This prestigious event saw over 150,000 participants from across the country compete in chess, blind chess, and rummy. The championship finals were held on April 30th, with trophies presented by former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev and world rapid chess champion Koneru Humpy.
The tournament took place at the Hyatt Regency in Gurugram on April 29th and 30th, featuring exciting and friendly competition. Mitrabha Guha, Shubhi Gupta, Saundarya Kumar Pradhan, Satyajit, and Rakesh Kumar emerged as winners in their respective categories.
Tournament Highlights
Held at the Hyatt Regency in Gurugram on April 29th and 30th, the competition featured national-level competition in three major games—chess, blind chess, and rummy. Players demonstrated not only skillful gameplay but also mental fortitude, strategic thinking, and concentration.
List of Winners
1. Indian Chess Masters (ICM)
- Men's Category: Mitrabha Guha secured first place, while Namitbeer Singh Walia and Gopal Krishna Maheshwari finished second and third, respectively.
- Women's Category: Shubhi Gupta won the gold medal. Sachi Jain received silver, and Diya Chaudhary won the bronze medal.
2. Indian Chess Masters for Blind (ICMB)
- East Zone: Saundarya Kumar Pradhan was the winner, Shaugat Chaudhary the runner-up, and Patra Subhendu Kumar finished third.
- North Zone: Satyajit secured first place, Saumendra second, and Mayank third.
3. Indian Rummy Grandmasters
- North and East Zone: Rakesh Kumar won. Sachin and Ravi Kumar secured second and third place, respectively.
Presence and Messages from Dignitaries
Special guests included Haryana's Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam, wrestling coach Satpal Singh, hockey legend Ashok Dhyanchand, and the CEO of the International Mind Sports Association, Jeffrey Borg. They described the competition as a symbol of the growing influence of mind sports in India. Kapil Dev stated that these games are not merely competitions but mental exercises, teaching self-control, focus, and stress management to the younger generation.
Koneru Humpy expressed confidence in the bright future of chess in India, stating that the new generation is raising India's name on the world stage, as exemplified by champions like Gukesh.
SOGF's Vision
SOGF founder Nandan Kumar Jha said the SOG Grandmasters Series is a significant step towards providing a serious, competitive, and professional platform for mind sports in India. He noted that the field is rapidly emerging, inspired by Gen Z and the digital age.
