The 44th National Team Chess Championship 2025 concluded with an intense battle for the top spot. Railways Sports Promotion Board B (RSPB B) secured the championship with an unbeaten score of 16/18, edging past Airports Authority of India (AAI) due to superior tie-break scores. AAI, also finishing with 16/18, settled for second place, while Railways Sports Promotion Board A (RSPB A) claimed third with 15/18.
RSPB B Claims Consecutive National Team Titles
Unlike last year, AAI posed a formidable challenge to both RSPB teams. All encounters among RSPB A, RSPB B, and AAI ended in draws. RSPB B and AAI both registered seven match wins and two draws, but RSPB B emerged victorious due to better tie-break scores. The defending champions, RSPB A, finished third with six wins and three draws.
The tournament featured a total prize fund of ₹500,000. The champions, RSPB B, received ₹125,000, while AAI and RSPB A earned ₹100,000 and ₹75,000, respectively.
Top Three Teams
- Champion: Railways Sports Promotion Board B – 16/18
- Runner-up: Airports Authority of India – 16/18
- Second Runner-up: Railways Sports Promotion Board A – 15/18
Individual Board Prize Winners
Board #1
- Gold – IM Srihari L (Pondicherry) – 88.9% (8/9)
- Silver – Dave Sneh (Gujarat C) – 87.5% (7/8)
- Bronze – GM Sankalp Gupta (AAI) – 81.3% (6.5/8)
Board #2
- Gold – CM Aarit Kapil (Delhi A) – 83.3% (7.5/9)
- Silver – IM Harikrishnan A Ra (AAI) – 75% (6/8)
- Bronze – IM Neelash Saha (RSPB A) – 75% (6/8)
Board #3
- Gold – Vrandesh Parekh (Gujarat E) – 93.8% (7.5/8)
- Silver – Utkal Ranjan Sahoo (Odisha A) – 77.8% (7/9)
- Bronze – Shriraj Bhosale (Maharashtra B) – 77.8% (7/9)
Board #4
- Gold – GM Mitrabha Guha (RSPB B) – 88.9% (8/9)
- Silver – IM Harshavardhan G B (AAI) – 87.5% (7/8)
- Bronze – Kartavya Anadkat (Gujarat A) – 81.3% (6.5/8)
Board #5
- Gold – Jashanpreet Singh (Services Sport Control Board) – 85.7% (6/7)
- Silver – GM P Shyaam Nikhil (RSPB B) – 83.3% (5/6)
- Bronze – IM Himal Gusain (RSPB A) – 81.3% (6.5/8)
Tournament Overview
A total of 196 players, including 8 Grandmasters (GMs) and 13 International Masters (IMs), represented 41 teams from across the country. The tournament took place from March 5-11, 2025, at GSC Bank in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Organized by the Gujarat State Chess Association, the event followed a nine-round format with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move from move one.
Final Standings of the Tournament
| Rank | Team | Matches Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points |
| 1 | Railways Sports Promotion Board B | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 2 | Airports Authority of India | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 3 | Railways Sports Promotion Board A | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| 4 | Odisha A | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| 5 | Tamil Nadu A | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| 6 | Uttar Pradesh A | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| 7 | Odisha B | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 8 | Maharashtra A | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 9 | Andhra Pradesh A | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 10 | Pondicherry | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
Conclusion
The 44th National Team Chess Championship 2025 showcased intense battles and outstanding performances. RSPB B emerged as the champions for the second consecutive year, though this time, it was the B team instead of the A team. AAI proved to be a strong contender, pushing both RSPB teams to their limits. The competition witnessed remarkable performances across all boards, highlighting the depth of chess talent in India. With such high-level participation and exciting games, Indian chess continues to grow in prominence on the national and international stage.
