Mumbai International Chess: Local teen Maniar holds GM Mikulas to a draw

IANS June 18, 2025 249 views

Mumbai's 13-year-old chess sensation Hriday Maniar created the biggest upset of Round 1 by holding Grandmaster Manik Mikulas to a draw. The young talent displayed flawless technique despite facing a 500-point rating disadvantage against the Slovak GM. While 15 other Grandmasters comfortably advanced, all eyes remain on this local teen's remarkable performance. The 9-round Swiss tournament features 293 players competing for a ₹25 lakh prize pool.

"Despite a 500-point rating gap, Hriday played with remarkable poise and accuracy" - Tournament Report
Mumbai, June 17: The 13-year-old Hriday Maniar, a promising local talent, held seasoned Slovak Grandmaster Manik Mikulas to a surprise draw, earning the biggest result of his young career in the first round of the Mumbai International Grandmaster Chess Tournament on Tuesday.

Key Points

1

Local teen holds 500-point higher rated GM to draw

2

Tournament features 293 players from 18 countries

3

15 other GMs cruise through Round 1

4

₹25 lakh prize pool at Mumbai International Chess

The tournament got off to an exciting start at the World Trade Centre, Mumbai, with Hriday's sensational result stealing the spotlight in Round 1.

Despite a rating difference of nearly 500 points, Hriday played with remarkable poise and accuracy, showcasing flawless technique against his opponent, who is far more experienced than him. The result is being hailed as one of the biggest upsets of the opening round.

Barring this remarkable performance, the remaining 15 Grandmasters had no difficulty in overcoming their opponents to cruise into the second round of this 9-round Swiss tournament. The event has drawn 293 players from 18 countries, all competing for a total prize fund of ₹25.00 lakhs.

The tournament is organised by Indian Chess School under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation (AICF).

Key results:

Round 1

Levan Pantsulaia (1) beat Raman Siddharth B. (0)

Petrosyan Manuel (1) beat Gada Om (0)

Paichadze Luka (1) beat Shubh Kapur (0)

Nikitenko Mihail (1) beat Gogte Soumil (0)

Lalit Babu M R (1) beat Ayaan Trikha (0)

Gharibyan Mamikon (1) beat Chavan Aditya (0)

Savchenko Boris (1) beat Advik Reddy (0)

Panesar Vedant (1) beat Saranya Devi (0)

Sanikidze Tornike (1) beat Bhavya Gupta (0)

Deepan Chakkravarthy J. (1) beat Shahan Vohra (0)

Davtyan Arsen (1) beat Arjun Singh (0)

Nguyen Duc Hoa (1) beat Parkar (0)

Slizhevsky Alexander (1) beat Patlolla Indra Reddy (0)

Aleksandrov Aleksej (1) beat Shitiz Prasad (0)

Fedorov Alexei (1) beat Vageesh Swaminathan (0)

Budhidharma Nayaka (1) beat Raj Kapoor (0)

Neelotpal Das (1) beat Karthik Gopal G. (0)

Nithin Babu (1) beat Mithilesh P. (0)

Nguyen Van Huy (1) beat Laddad Aadhavan Atish (0)

Tologon Tegin Semetei (1) beat Gnanaseelan (0)

Gochelashvili Davit (1) beat Aabhas Kumar Srivastava (0)

Saravana Krishnan P. (1) beat Jagesia Daksh (0)

Manik Mikulas (½) drew Hriday Maniar (½)

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Wow! What a performance by young Hriday! 👏 Holding a GM to a draw with 500 rating points difference is no joke. This shows the depth of chess talent in India. Hope he gets proper guidance to nurture this potential. Chess is truly becoming India's new cricket!
P
Priya M.
As a chess mom myself, I know how much effort goes into reaching this level at 13. Hats off to Hriday's parents and coaches! But I wish media wouldn't call it an "upset" - it puts unnecessary pressure on young players. Let's celebrate his achievement without labels.
A
Arjun S.
Great result, but let's not get carried away. One good game doesn't make a champion. I've seen many Indian talents fade after initial promise. The real test is consistency over years. Hope AICF provides proper support system beyond just tournaments.
S
Sneha R.
So proud to see Mumbai hosting such big chess events! 🎲 The WTC venue is perfect. Hope this inspires more local kids to take up chess instead of just cricket. Also good to see ₹25 lakh prize money - shows chess is getting its due recognition in India.
V
Vikram P.
Interesting to see so many foreign GMs participating. The level of competition will surely help Indian players improve. But why no mention of women players in top results? Chess needs more gender diversity at highest levels in India too.
N
Neha T.
Hriday's achievement reminds me of young Praggnanandhaa! 💫 We're truly in a golden era of Indian chess. But can someone explain why most Indian names in results are losing? Need better training programs at grassroots level beyond just a few star players.

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Mumbai chess tournament Hriday Maniar Manik Mikulas chess prodigy AICF Indian Chess School