IM Tarun Kanyamarala secured 2nd place in the third edition of the 21st Century Cavan Chess Congress. After the finals standings both IM Tarun and GM Oleg Korneev from Spain were tied with 4/5 points each. An Armageddon playoff was held as a tiebreaker, the Spanish Grandmaster flagged Tarun in the intense blitz match securing the champion title of this year’s Cavan Congress.
By Trisha
Cavan Chess Congress was held in Cavan Crystal Hotel. This weekender congress spanned two days from 25 to 26 January 2025. The Congress had 3 sections: Masters (+1850), Majors (1500 – 1900 Elo), Challengers (Unrated to 1550 Elo). On Sunday there was also a Rapid tournament for kids
History
The Cavan Chess Congress holds significant historical value, first organized in 1972 as a major national-level tournament in Ireland. It began at St. Felim’s National School with 30 participants and grew into a key event, attracting over 250 players at its peak before pausing in 1980 for over four decades.
Day 1
The event opened with a surprising result as top seed GM Oleg Korneev drew against Maryna Petrenko (2090) in the first round.
Tarun won the first round, in the second round he had a interesting game against FM Colm Daly.
After two rounds, Tarun stood as the sole leader with a perfect 2/2 score.
Day 2
The penultimate round saw an anticipated showdown between the top two seeds—GM Korneev and IM Tarun . Korneev secured a crucial victory, shifting the tournament’s dynamic. Heading into the final round, Korneev led the standings with 2.5 points, holding a narrow half-point lead over the field. His final-round draw against FM Kavin Venkatesan allowed Tarun to catch up, leading to both players finishing with 3 points after four rounds.
The Thrilling Tiebreaker
With the championship on the line, a sudden-death Armageddon game was played. Tarun, playing Black, had 3 minutes on the clock, while Korneev, playing White, had 5 minutes. Black only needed a draw to win. Tarun gained an early advantage, winning a piece, but time pressure became a decisive factor. Both players were down to their final second, making the outcome uncertain. In the end, Tarun flagged first, handing GM Oleg Korneev the victory and the 2025 Cavan Chess Congress Champion title.
Prize Winners
The awards ceremony followed shortly after the conclusion of the playoff. Adrian Kelly, organizer and driving force behind the Cavan Chess Congress, presided over the event.
