CircleChess successfully hosted its second rated tournament in Bangalore at the same venue, bringing together passionate players for some exciting chess battles. In the rapid section, Siddhanth Poonja took first place, while Lokesh impressed everyone by winning the blitz category.
The total prize pool was ₹5 Lakh, with top prizes awarded to the best three players. Beyond individual wins, the tournament also recognized the Best Academy, Best Caissa School of Chess students and a creative Parent-Child Duo, adding a fun and personal touch to the competition.
How a Chess Tech startup is creating waves
CircleChess is an innovative tech startup founded by chess enthusiasts, parents, and technology experts with a mission to revolutionize chess tournaments through advanced technology. Their platform streamlines every aspect of tournament management – from easy player registration and automated pairing notifications on WhatsApp to real-time updates and seamless event coordination.
By combining deep knowledge of chess with technical expertise and the perspective of parents, CircleChess delivers a tailored solution that makes organizing and participating in rated tournaments smoother, faster, and more enjoyable for the entire chess community. They conducted their second FIDE-rated tournament in Bangalore, which brought together strong players competing in both rapid and blitz formats. With a ₹5 Lakh prize pool and special awards like Best Academy and the most innovative award – Parent-Child Duo, made it even special and interesting where parents also joined the fun!
Champions of Global Star Offline Cup
Siddhanth Poonja, was the champion of the Global Star Offline Cup, 13th CircleChess Global Star Offline Cup. He scored 9/9 undefeated in the whole rapid tournament.
Siddhanth Poonja receiving award from Founder and CEO of CircleChess, Kumar Gaurav
Followed by Karan J P and Peter Anand, both finishing strongly with 8/9, to secure second and third places respectively.
Podium finishers of 13th CircleChess rapid Rated tournament
Top 10, Complete list
CircleChess’s second Rated tournament
Everyone was impressed with how smoothly the event ran – every round started right on time, and the schedule was followed to the minute. From registrations to prize distribution, everything was well-coordinated, creating a professional yet friendly atmosphere that players and parents truly appreciated. A total of around ~620 participants had registered for the event.
“When we hosted our first tournament, our aim was to make it special for everyone – setting new standards for players and organizers in chess events. That same vision carried forward into our second FIDE-rated tournament, where we worked to raise the bar even higher. With the support of BUDCA President Mrs. Sowmya and Chief Arbiter Vasanth B.H., Banshu and Paritosh (from CircleChess), every detail was planned with care. Hosting it in a spacious, air-conditioned venue in Bangalore ensured comfort for players and provided ample seating for parents and guardians, making it an enjoyable experience for all.”
-Kumar Gaurav, Founder of CircleChess
Some Special Captures from the tournament
A special Fathee Daughter moment captured before the round starts 🙂 (Photo: Tina Popli/CircleChess)
Future Grandmasters 🙂
Future Grandmasters 🙂
13th CircleChess Blitz Tournament
Podium finishers of Blitz tournament
In the blitz section, Lokesh N was unstoppable, scoring a 8/9 to take the championship title. Siddhanth Poonja(8/9) secured second, while Peter Anand A secured third place with a score of 7.5/8
Top 10, Complete list
This tournament once again showed how CircleChess values good planning, timely execution, and creating a comfortable environment for players and parents. From smooth scheduling to thoughtful prize categories, the team ensured the event ran well from start to finish. It was another step forward in their journey of building a strong chess ecosystem.
Recently, they also hosted the world’s largest chess tournament, with over 19,000 players registering for a single event on International Chess Day on their own platform, Caissa. Their Caissa School of Chess has now expanded to multiple countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
