Mysuru lad IM Girish A. Koushik (Rating 2401) playing with white pieces on the top board held GM M. S. Thejkumar of Mysuru in the 10th round, and tied with the latter with 9 points from 10 rounds, but clinched the title on the basis of his better progressive tie-break score of 74.5 to the latter’s 73, at the Woodlands hotel premises in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Four players — Girish Koushik (9-74.5), GM Thejkumar (9-73), Ojas Kulkarni (9-69) and N.Sanjay (9-68.5) tied with 9 points each, but the basis of their progressive tie-break scores took the places from one to four respectively in the final rankings.

Final Placings

IM Girish A. Koushik (9-74.5), 2. GM M.S.Thejkumar (9-73), Ojas Kulkarni (9-69), 4. N.Sanjay (9-68.5), 5. IM G.A.Stany (8.5-70), 6. Aravind Shastry (8.5-70), 7. P.Jagadish (8.5.-64.5), 8. A.Augustin (8.5-65.5), 9. Gavi Siddayya (8.5-63.5), 10. D.Yashas (8-71.5).