Grandmaster lalit babu

Candidate Master Madhesh Kumar: Grandmaster Lalit Babu and Candidate Master Madhesh Kumar made it an Indian sweep as they emerged champions in contrasting fashion in the Rs 40 lakh prize money Mumbai International Grandmaster and Junior Chess Tournament, which concluded at the World Trade Centre, here on Wednesday.

While Lalit Babu won his ninth and final round encounter against top-seeded Georgian GM Lavin Pantsulaia to tally 8 points, he had to spend anxious moments as Armenian GM Mamikon Gharibyan also tallied 8 points, winning his final match against Indian GM Neeloptal Das.

However, Lalit Babu’s higher tie-break score of 54.5, as compared to Gharibyan’s 54, ensured that he laid his hands on the glittering trophy and took home the winner’s purse of Rs 4 lakhs. Gharibyan’s second-place finish was worth Rs 3 lakhs. Another Indian, Deepan Chakravarthy, finished in fifth place, winning Rs 1.25 lakh.