In a landmark moment for Karnataka chess, 15-year-old Akshaya Sathi emerged as the champion of the 1st Khannur Karnataka State FIDE Rated Open Chess Championship 2025, held from July 1st to 4th at the Lotus Convention Centre, Ramamurthy Nagar, Bangalore. Akshaya clinched the title on tiebreaks, becoming the first-ever female player to win the Karnataka State Open Chess Championship.
The prestigious tournament saw fierce competition across 8 rounds, attracting 237 players from all districts of Karnataka, with an impressive average rating of 1564, indicating a high level of play throughout.
Akshaya’s stellar performance placed her ahead of top-seed contenders. Despite tying on points, her superior tiebreak score secured her the title and a winner’s prize of ₹45,000.Close on her heels, Sumeetkumar M S remained undefeated, scoring an impressive 7/8, and claimed the runner-up spot with a prize of ₹35,000. Prashant J Naik took third place, earning ₹28,000, followed by Balkishan A in fourth, winning ₹25,000.The tournament boasted a total prize fund of ₹5,00,000.
The 1st Khannur Karnataka State FIDE Rated Open Chess Championship was hosted by Mr. Anurag Khannur a young student exemplifying the spirit of youth leadership in Karnataka’s sporting community.
The 1st Khannur State Open has not only set a new benchmark for chess in the region but also inspired a new generation of young talents — especially girls —to aim for the top in competitive chess.