Written by Tanisha Cardozo
Goa’s rising chess talent Nitish Belurkar has achieved his second Grandmaster (GM) norm at the 5th International Festival of La Plagne Soleil Masters held in France — marking a major milestone in his journey to becoming a GM.
🎯 What’s the big achievement?
Nitish scored an unbeaten 7 points in 9 rounds, finishing third in a competitive field of 171 players from 23 countries, and earned a performance rating of 2624. With this, he not only secured his second GM norm but also gained 19 Elo points, bringing his live rating to 2472.
Now, he’s just one norm and 28 Elo points away from achieving the title of Grandmaster — the highest honour in the world of chess.
👏 Highlights of the Tournament
- ✅ Win over top seed GM Jules Moussard (2591)
- ✅ Held strong draws with GMs Iniyan Pa, Christian Bauer, Yuri Solodovnichenko, and Joseph Girrel
- ✅ Wins against Van Volsem Merlijn, FM Hald Falkesggard Jeppe, Damien Riberie, and FM Fantin Ludwig
- ✅ Third-place finish, behind champion GM Yuri Solodovnichenko (7.5 points)
This performance follows Nitish’s first GM norm, which he had achieved earlier at the Vezerkepzo GM tournament in Hungary.
💬 A Goan Star in the Making
Nitish Belurkar’s success story is not just about individual brilliance — it reflects the growing strength of Indian and Goan chess on the global stage. His composure, consistency, and tenacity have made him one of the most watched young players in the country.
As the chess world turns its attention to his next tournaments, Nitish carries with him the hopes of becoming Goa’s next Grandmaster.
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