A Grand Debut: Anish Pujar Takes on the 28th OIBM Tegernsee

Dec 26, 2025 | Open tournament | 0 comments

Posted on: November 15, 2025 Location: Gut Kaltenbrunn, Gmund am Tegernsee

The 28th Open International Bavarian Chess Championship (OIBM) is known for its breathtaking venue on the shores of Lake Tegernsee and its incredibly strong field of Grandmasters and international talents. But for SK Freising, the true highlight of this year’s festival wasn’t found on the top boards—it was the courageous debut of our very own Anish Pujar.

A First Step onto the Big Stage For Anish, born in 2018, this tournament marked a massive milestone in his young chess career: it was his very first classical Open tournament and his first challenge in an FIDE Elo-rated environment. Stepping into a tournament hall with over 500 participants, consisting largely of seasoned adults and titled players, requires immense nerve—especially when you are just seven years old.

The OIBM is a grueling endurance test, featuring long time controls (90 minutes for 40 moves + 30 minutes for the rest) that demand intense focus for hours at a time. For a player making their debut in this format, simply managing the clock and the physical demands of the game against such experienced opposition is a victory in itself.

 

Punching Above His Weight Anish faced a steep learning curve, matched exclusively against experienced opponents with established ratings much higher than his own. Despite the daunting opposition, he showed remarkable resilience. Over the course of six hard-fought rounds, he didn’t just participate; he competed.

The absolute highlight of his tournament came in Round 4. Facing an international opponent from Italy, Anish played a fantastic game to secure a brilliant win. This victory was more than just a point on the scoreboard; it was proof that his tactical training is paying off, even against adult opposition.

A Promising Future The statistics from Anish’s debut are incredibly promising. Despite entering as one of the youngest players in the vast field, he achieved a remarkable Elo performance of 1408. To walk away from your first-ever Open with a win against an international player and such a strong performance rating is a fantastic achievement.

Anish has shown that he belongs on the big stage. We are incredibly proud of his fighting spirit and can’t wait to see what he does next!

Congratulations, Anish! ♟️

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