Georgian Grand Master Pantsulaia Levan clinched the LIC 7th Mumbai Mayor's Cup International Open Chess Tournament for the second year running by finishing at the top of the leader board.
Lavan finished the ten-round league with an overall tally of eight points.
There was encouraging news for India as International Master Himanshu Sharma earned the first of the three GM Norms required to graduate into a Grand Master. He finished third.
Sharma, along with four other players -- GM Aleksandrov Aleksej of Belarus, GM Mchedlishvili Mikheil of Georgia, GM Amonatov Farrukh of Tajikistan and Russian GM Ovetchkin Roman - finished with 7.5 points each.
The Indian was placed third behind Aleksej on the basis of the Buchholz (tie-breaker) score. Mikheil, Farrukh and Roman grabbed the next three places in the tournament co-sponsored by Bajaj Almond Hair Oil and organised by Venus Chess Academy at the Thakur College.
The last and final round witnessed a spate of draws with Levan (ELO 2577), who started with a full point lead, playing out a safe draw with Tajikistan's Amonatov Farrukh (ELO 2609) on the top board. The half point from the tie ensured Levan clinch the top position.
On the second board, Sharma (ELO 2372), playing with black pieces, did well to share honours with Mikheil (ELO 2632) and Aleksej split a point with Roman in another stalemate.
Earlier in the ninth round, Levan without taking undue risks against countryman GM Gangunashvili Merab (ELO 2562), played a quick draw in just 15 moves, while Aleksej was engaged in a long battle with Sharma before they settled for a draw after 66 moves.
Meanwhile, Woman Grand Master Bhakti Kulkarni claimed an IM norm in the tournament as she held GM Harutjunyan Gevorg (ELO 2434) for a draw with black pieces. This was her second IM Norm with the first one earned during the Highland open tournament in Czech Republic in 2013.
