Bengaluru : Somendra of Delhi emerged as the champion of the 19th AICFB National Chess Championship for the Visually Challenged, held from February 8 to 12 at Dwaraka Hall, Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru.
Organized by the All-India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB) and hosted by the Rotary Club of Bangalore, Rotary Club of RUAS, and Ramaiah University in collaboration with the Karnataka State Chess Association for the Visually Challenged, the championship served as the final selection event for the IBCA World Team Chess Championship 2026 to be held in Petrovac, Montenegro.
The nine-round Swiss league tournament featured 49 players from 13 states, representing four zones of the country. After an intense final round, five players — Somendra, Kishan Gangolli (Karnataka), Rithvik Marri (Telangana), Aryan B. Joshi (Maharashtra), and Patra Subhendu Kumar (Odisha) — finished tied at 6.5 points. With superior tie-break scores, Somendra secured the national title.
Eight-time national champion Kishan Gangolli finished second, while Rithvik Marri claimed third place.
The championship carried a total prize fund of ₹1.5 lakh, distributed among the top ten finishers. The top five players will represent India at the upcoming IBCA World Team Chess Championship 2026.
The valedictory ceremony was attended by Mr. Das Suryavanshi, State Commissioner, Office of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, along with other distinguished guests and AICFB officials.