Akshay Borgaonkar stuns 3rd seed Abhijeet Gupta at ₹35 lakh 360 One Masters Chess
Synopsis
A 17-year-old from Pune walked into the ₹35 lakh 360 One Masters Chess in Mumbai and dismantled a former World Junior Champion in 54 moves. Akshay Borgaonkar's win over GM Abhijeet Gupta headlined a first round where upsets, not routine results, set the tone — and top seed Iniyan Pa needed 74 moves of endgame wizardry just to beat a lower-rated opponent.
Key Takeaways
IM Akshay Borgaonkar , 17, from Pune defeated third seed GM Abhijeet Gupta in 54 moves at the 360 One Masters Chess in Mumbai on 12 June .
Second seed GM Sankalp Gupta was beaten in just 26 moves by Sri Lankan IM L M S T De Silva .
Top seed GM Iniyan Pa , the reigning National Champion, converted a near-drawn rook endgame to beat L Srihari on move 74 .
Fifth seed GM Luka Paichadze and ninth seed GM Boris Savchenko were both held to draws by lower-rated opponents.
13-year-old Madhavendra Pratap Sharma won both his games in the junior and Challenger categories on opening day.
The tournament carries a prize fund of ₹35 lakh and is organised by Indian Chess School .
17-year-old IM Akshay Borgaonkar from Pune delivered the standout upset of the opening round at the ₹35 lakh 360 One Masters Chess tournament, defeating former World Junior Champion and third seed GM Abhijeet Gupta in 54 moves at the Indian Chess School-organised event in Mumbai on 12 June. Upset results dominated the first round of this Swiss League event, underscoring the unpredictability that characterises elite open chess.
Borgaonkar Dismantles Gupta in Reti Game
Playing with the black pieces in a Reti opening, Borgaonkar pressed Gupta onto the back foot almost from the first moves. Gupta, a multiple-time Commonwealth Champion, was reportedly not at his sharpest, and a series of inaccurate moves allowed Black's pawns to advance menacingly while White's pieces were steadily pushed backwards.
Gupta delayed castling and attempted a counterattack with his queen and bishop, but by the 18th move, Borgaonkar had accumulated a two-pawn advantage and converted with clinical precision. Gupta fought on before resigning on move 54, facing an inevitable checkmate.
De Silva Shocks Second Seed Sankalp Gupta
The round's other headline upset saw Sri Lankan IM L M S T De Silva defeat second seed GM Sankalp Gupta in just 26 moves. Playing a French Advance Defence, De Silva launched a whirlwind attack — two knights, a rook, and a queen combining with advanced pawns to breach Sankalp's defences and deliver checkmate. Sankalp was under pressure from the opening stages and never recovered.
Top Seed Iniyan Grinds Out a Win
Amid the wave of upsets, top seed GM Iniyan Pa, the reigning National Champion, demonstrated patience and resourcefulness to convert a seemingly drawn position against L Srihari. Their Queen's Gambit Declined game simplified into a rook-and-identical-pawn endgame — theoretically drawn territory — but Iniyan employed a waiting strategy that tested Srihari's defence.
Srihari eventually erred with a king move on move 64, and Iniyan secured the full point on move 74 by threatening pawn promotion. The win underlines Iniyan's endgame technique and composure under pressure.
Overseas Grandmasters Held to Draws
Higher-rated foreign players also found the going difficult. Fifth seed GM Luka Paichadze of Georgia was held to a draw by FM Adak Bivor, while ninth seed GM Boris Savchenko could only split the point with Daeevik Wadhawan. FM Vivaan Shah earned half a point against GM Aleksandrov Aleksej, and FM Kush Bhagat secured a creditable draw against eighth seed IM Nitin Belurkar. IM Kauvstuv Kundu was among the day's positive results for Indian players, defeating Andrey Gorovetz of Belarus.
Junior Category: Madhavendra Pratap Sharma Dominates
13-year-old Madhavendra Pratap Sharma, seeded first in both the junior and Challenger categories, won both his games on the opening day — a double delight that announced his credentials early in the tournament. Higher seeds largely had smooth outings in the junior section, though a few draws added some variation to the standings.
With the first round delivering drama in abundance, all eyes will be on how the seedings hold up as the tournament progresses through its remaining rounds.
Point of View
It is preparation. Iniyan's 74-move grind, meanwhile, speaks to a quality that separates top seeds from the rest — the refusal to accept a draw when the board still has life. The real story to watch is whether India's young domestic talent, Borgaonkar included, can sustain pressure against the overseas Grandmasters in the later rounds.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Akshay Borgaonkar and why is his win significant?
Akshay Borgaonkar is a 17-year-old International Master from Pune who defeated third seed GM Abhijeet Gupta — a former World Junior Champion and multiple-time Commonwealth Champion — in 54 moves in the opening round of the 360 One Masters Chess tournament in Mumbai. The win is considered a major upset given the difference in rating and experience between the two players.
What is the 360 One Masters Chess tournament?
The 360 One Masters Chess is a Swiss League event organised by Indian Chess School in Mumbai, carrying a prize fund of ₹35 lakh. It features top domestic and international Grandmasters competing across multiple rounds.
How did top seed GM Iniyan Pa perform in round one?
Top seed GM Iniyan Pa, the reigning National Champion, won his opening-round game against L Srihari in 74 moves after converting a theoretically drawn rook-and-pawn endgame. Srihari blundered with a king move on move 64, allowing Iniyan to secure the point by threatening pawn promotion.
Which overseas Grandmasters were held to draws in round one?
Fifth seed GM Luka Paichadze of Georgia was held to a draw by FM Adak Bivor, and ninth seed GM Boris Savchenko drew with Daeevik Wadhawan. FM Vivaan Shah also earned a draw against GM Aleksandrov Aleksej.
How did the junior category unfold on day one?
13-year-old Madhavendra Pratap Sharma, seeded first in both the junior and Challenger categories, won both his games on the opening day. Higher seeds generally had smooth results in the junior section, with a few draws providing some variation.
