GM Karthik Venkataraman and WGM Divya Deshmukh are the freshly minted India Champions. It is Karthik’s first victory in a national championship, while Divya successfully defended her title.  

The MPL 59th National Chess Championship 2022, organized by Delhi Chess Association at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Near ITO, New Delhi, took place from December 22, 2022, to January 03, 2023. 

The 13-round Swiss tournament brought together nearly 200 players from 30 states and five affiliated units of the country, including 18 GMs, 27 IMs, 12 FM and 8 CMs. With many leading India's players battling at FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship at the same time, the top seed of the event was GM Sethuraman SP (2642).

Coming into the final round with 9.5/12, a half-point half point ahead of three competitors, GM Karthik Venkataraman of Andhra Pradesh drew his game with Visakh N R and came out on top with 10/13. As many as four players finished on 9.5/13 with GMs Abhijeet Gupta and  Visakh N R taking silver and bronze, respectively, thanks to superior Buchholz.

IM Koustav Chatterjee of West Bengal scored 9 points and completed his final GM norm, while Hari Madhavan N B of Tamil Nadu and Subhayan Kundu of West Bengal secured their IM norms.

At the Closing ceremony Shri Bharat Singh Chauhan, Chairman FIDE Advisory Committee and Deputy President of the Asian Chess Federation awarded prizes to the winners.

Final standings:

The 48th Edition of the Indian Women's National Championship was held at Ghodawat University Kolhapur from December 26, 2022, to January 05, 2023. The 11-round Swiss tournament was organized by the Chess Association of Kolhapur under the aegis of FIDE, All India Chess Federation, Maharashtra Chess Association & Kolhapur District Chess Association at the Sanjay Ghodawat University, Kolhapur. The MPL Sports Foundation was the title sponsor of the event, while Sanjay Ghodawat University co-sponsored the Championship. Chitale Dairy, H2e Systems Pune, Jain Irrigation, and Firodia Group were the Associate Sponsors for the event.

WGM Divya Deshmukh successfully defended her title after defeating IM Bhakti Kulkarni in the final round and scoring 9.5/11. WGM Mary Ann Gomes finished second on 9/11 after beating WIM Rucha Pujari, and WGM Vantika Agrawal came third (8.5/11).

Interestingly, since 2011 every national Women's champion has won her title at least twice in a row, and Divya was no exception.

Final standings:

Photos: All India Chess Federation