India's Muthaiah AL crowned champion in a thrilling finale at the Ciudad de Pontevedra, marked by a flood of international titles

The XIV International Tournament Ciudad de Pontevedra has drawn the curtain on its largest and most demanding edition with a closing day to remember. After nine rounds of intense battle across the 64 squares, the University Sports Pavilion crowned its new champions on a morning where sporting tension gave way to the emotion of titles achieved.

Muthaiah AL conquers the summit in a heart-stopping finale

The Masters category arrived at its ninth round with everything still to play for and did not disappoint. In a fraternal duel on board two, Indian International Master Muthaiah AL caused the day's biggest sensation by defeating the hitherto leader, Grandmaster Sayantan Das, with the white pieces. This masterful victory took him to 7.0 points and the title of outright tournament champion. Joining him on a prestigious and razor-close podium, also on 7.0 points but with inferior tiebreaks, were Cuban International Master Luis Daniel Rodríguez Hernández (runner-up) and Indian Grandmaster Raja Rithvik R. (third place), after both signed a draw on board one that confirmed Muthaiah's triumph.

A flood of international norms and titles

Beyond the trophies and the final standings, the awarding of international norms and titles is one of the core purposes of this tournament and the driving force behind the work of Escola Xadrez Pontevedra. Bringing the elite home to give talent the opportunity to achieve longed-for international recognition is the organization's great goal, and this edition has proved a resounding success.

Galician FIDE Master Diego Cacheiro bounced back from his defeat in yesterday's marathon day and, in a display of composure, defeated Colombian IM Ángel Gabriel Córdoba Roa in the final round. This victory not only earns him a sensational seventh place overall, but also secures the long-awaited International Master (IM) norm.

Asian women's chess shone in its own right. The very young Indian player Modipalli Deekshitha, just 13 years old, delivered an anthology performance that earned her her first absolute International Master (IM) norm. For her part, her compatriot Niharika Challa bids farewell to Pontevedra taking home a Woman International Master (WIM) norm.

The exceptionally high standard of the tournament also allowed the validation of Candidate Master (CM) titles for Basque player Ibón Muñoz and for the tireless local talent of Escola Xadrez Pontevedra's very own Bernardo Rebollo.

Oubiña seals his dominance in the Amateur group

In the Amateur category, there was no room for surprises. Ricardo Oubiña Pazos arrived at the final round already within touching distance of the title and a solid draw against Mario García Vilas was enough to mathematically secure the championship. Oubiña thus caps a superb performance, undefeated with 8.0 points out of a possible 9. The podium was completed by Noel Leis Pazos (7.5 points) and Escola Xadrez Pontevedra's own Brais Moreira Novo (7.0 points).

Meanwhile, female talent was superbly represented. In the Masters category, Modipalli Deekshitha finished as the top-ranked woman (5.5 points), while in the Amateur group the honor went to Irene Diz Loroño, who completed a fantastic tournament with 6.0 points, climbing as high as 16th place overall.

The event also recognized the enormous talent of its youth academy by awarding the corresponding prizes to the different age categories, reaffirming that the future of local and international chess is in very good hands.

Premio Ramón Escudeiro for attacking brilliance

One of the most applauded moments of the closing ceremony was the presentation of the prestigious Premio Ramón Escudeiro for the best attacking game. The award was given to Colombian International Master Ángel Gabriel Córdoba Roa, in recognition of the spectacular victory he crafted in the earlier rounds against nine-time Spanish champion Sabrina Vega.

Closing ceremony and institutional support

The prize-giving and closing ceremony enjoyed exceptional institutional backing: Marité Vázquez, headmistress of Colegio Los Sauces (home of the prestigious Ramón Escudeiro International Campus); Anabel Gulías, Councillor for Sports; Eva Villaverde, Acting Mayor of the Concello de Pontevedra; Marian Fernández, Vice-Chancellor of the Pontevedra Campus; and Rafael Domínguez, Vice-President of the Deputación de Pontevedra, who had the honor of presenting Galicia's absolute champion Diego Cacheiro with the certificate of his first IM norm — one of the most emotional moments that drew a standing ovation from the entire venue.

Nearly one million impressions worldwide

The XIV International Tournament Ciudad de Pontevedra has generated close to one million impressions globally. Thanks to live broadcasting on the giants of online chess, the mass following of our Indian Grandmasters by Asian fans, and excellent coverage from local and regional press, the Pontevedra brand has been present on screens around the world for an uninterrupted week.

The XIV International Tournament Ciudad de Pontevedra closes a record-breaking edition, cementing its status not only as a world-class sporting event, but as a true celebration of inclusion, education, and talent. See you at the boards in 2027!

To check all the final standings in detail, visit the Masters Group standings and the Amateur Group standings.

Or relive the games on our live games section.