NewzVille Desk
Switzerland’s historic city of Basel hosted the five-day Basel Christmas Chess Festival, drawing players from across continents and age groups and highlighting the city’s long-standing chess tradition.
The tournament brought together competitors from 28 nationalities, ranging in age from eight to 78, underlining its global appeal. Basel, located at the crossroads of Switzerland, France and Germany, is known for its cultural diversity and intellectual heritage.
Indian players continued to make a strong impression at the event. In recent years, Indian success has grown steadily, with International Master C.R.G. Krishna winning the Masters title in 2019, followed by Grandmaster Vignesh N.R.’s victory in 2023. Last year, Balaguru Vinodhkumar won the Expert category.
At the 2025 edition, Germany’s Joans Hecht won first prize in the Expert category, while Indian-born Swiss player Shiivesh Malli finished fourth.
India was also represented by Woman FIDE Masters Rindhiya V and Keerti Shree Reddy. Rindhiya won the All-India Inter-University Chess Tournament in August, while Keerti has competed in several European events and was part of the winning team at the 2025 World Schools Team Championship in the United States.
In Basel, Keerti finished tied with Switzerland’s Mariia Manko for the best woman title and gained 80 rating points, underscoring India’s rising influence in international chess.
