10-year-old Niladri Banerjee becomes the youngest ever West Bengal State Rapid Rating 2023 champion

by Shahid Ahmed - 09/02/2023

The reigning West Bengal State Under-11 Open champion, Niladri Banerjee created a record on 29th January 2023. At the age of 10 years 5 months and 4 days, the little kid from Howrah District became the youngest West Bengal State Rapid Rating 2023 champion. He won the tournament with a perfect score 8/8 and finished a full point ahead of the competition. Defending champion Subhayan Kundu and Bishal Basak scored 7/8 each. They were placed second and third according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund of the tournament was ₹58400 + trophies. The top three prizes were ₹10000 + trophy, ₹7000 and ₹5000 each respectively. Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

Record with a perfect score

This was the first time when seeded players - GMs, IMs and WGMs were not eligible to play West Bengal State Rapid championship. Nevertheless, the tournament was still strong despite the absence of titled players. Scoring 8/8 at the age of 10 years, defeating five players who were rated a minimum of 545 Elo points higher, earned him 206 Elo rating points. It goes without saying that it might take some to tie or break this record.

Champion - Niladri Banerjee 8/8 | Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

Runner-up - Subhayan Kundu 7/8 | Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

Second Runner-up - Bishal Basak 7/8 | Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

Niladri Banerjee scored a perfect 8/8 to gain a whopping 206 Elo rating points

Niladri Banerjee received the prize from the youngest West Bengal State Champion and the state's first GM Dibyendu Barua | Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

Round 7: Kaustuv Kundu - Niladri Banerjee | Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

Players in action | Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

The tournament hall at Dinen Smriti Bhavan, Hooghly, West Bengal | Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha

A total of 206 players took part from various districts of West Bengal. The eight-round Swiss league Rapid Rating tournament took place on 28th and 29th January 2023 at Dinen Smriti Bhavan, Hooghly, West Bengal. The event was organized by Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha. The time control was 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	sex	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	27		Niladri Banerjee	U12		IND	1450	Howrah	8	38,5	41	41,00	0	8
2	2		Subhayan Kundu			IND	2205	North 24 Parganas	7	38	42,5	36,50	0	7
3	14		Basak Bishal			IND	1685	Hooghly	7	38	41	35,00	0	7
4	3		Kaustuv Kundu			IND	2199	Kolkata	6,5	41,5	46	34,25	0	6
5	4	FM	Sourath Biswas			IND	2164	North 24 Parganas	6,5	41,5	45,5	34,25	0	6
6	5		Anustoop Biswas			IND	2156	Kolkata	6,5	39,5	43	33,50	0	6
7	11		Arpan Das (Jr)			IND	1991	North 24 Parganas	6,5	39,5	42,5	33,25	0	5
8	20	AIM	Subhabrata Roy			IND	1545	Kolkata	6,5	37,5	41,5	32,25	0	6
9	8		Arya Bhakta			IND	2009	Hooghly	6,5	32	35,5	28,25	0	6
10	9		Arindam Mukherjee			IND	2004	North 24 Parganas	6	43,5	47	32,50	0	6
11	18		Rajanya Datta		w	IND	1579	North 24 Parganas	6	38,5	41,5	28,75	0	5
12	13		Rupam Mukherjee			IND	1699	Hooghly	6	38	42	28,00	0	6
13	21		Subhrajit Dey			IND	1535	South 24 Parganas	6	37	39	25,50	0	6
14	33		Aniket Narayan Biswas			IND	1400	North 24 Parganas	6	36,5	39	25,50	0	6
15	25		Snehil Raj Singh			IND	1464	North 24 Parganas	6	35,5	39	29,00	0	6
16	36		Manna Chiranjit			IND	1389	North 24 Parganas	6	35	37,5	26,25	0	5
17	208		Yuvraj Mukim	U12		IND	0	Kolkata	6	34	37,5	25,50	0	6
18	17		Ayush Das			IND	1584	Hooghly	6	33,5	37,5	27,50	0	6
19	40		Anshuman Ganguly			IND	1334	North 24 Parganas	6	33	36,5	27,50	0	5
20	42		Angshu Ghosh	U12		IND	1310	North 24 Parganas	6	32,5	34	24,00	0	6