Harika Wins Asian Women's Rapid Chess Title, Goutham Takes Silver

GM Dronavalli Harika won the Asian Women's Rapid Chess Championship 2026 unbeaten, while IM Goutham Krishna H took silver in the open section on tiebreak.

India had a great day at the Asian Rapid Chess Championships 2026 in Hong Kong. GM Dronavalli Harika won the women's title, and young IM Goutham Krishna H took the silver medal in the open section after finishing level on points with the champion.

Harika finished on 8.5 points from 11 games without losing a single game. She won six and drew five. Her most important win came in round 6 against WGM Anna Shukhman, who also finished on 8.5 points, and Harika took first place on tiebreak. In round 9 she also won a 76-move game against IM Pham Le Thao Nguyen of Vietnam, who finished third.

In the open section, GM Aleksey Grebnev, playing under the FIDE flag, won the title on tiebreak with 8.5 points. Goutham Krishna also scored 8.5 points and finished second, ahead of GM Ilia Iljiushenok in third.

Goutham's best win came in round 6, when he beat top seed GM Wang Hao of China with the black pieces. He lost his next game to GM Pavel Ponkratov, but bounced back with a win in round 8 and another in round 10. In the last round he drew with Grebnev to secure his medal.

For a player in the under-16 category to finish level with the champion of an Asian championship is a special achievement. It shows how much Indian youth chess has grown in recent years.

Harika's tournament holds a lesson for every student. Going through 11 rapid games without a loss requires not only skill but also discipline. Harika avoided unnecessary risks, won when she had the chance and drew safely when she did not. Being hard to beat is one of the most valuable qualities a chess player can have.

The Asian Blitz Championships follow next, with 13 rounds at 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move.