Marianske Lazne (Czech Republic), Jan 23 (PTI) Indian Grandmaster M R Lalith Babu emerged victorious in the Marienbad Open 2022 chess tournament here.

He remained unbeaten through nine rounds and accumulated 6.5 points to finish half a point ahead of Icelandic GM Hannes Stefansson, the runner-up.

Also Read | Bengaluru FC vs FC Goa, ISL 2021-22 Live Streaming Online on Disney+ Hotstar: Watch Free Telecast of BFC vs FCG in Indian Super League 8 on TV and Online.

Lalith Babu won four games and drew the other five to take the top position.

His wins came against Czech players Vaclav Finek, Karel Malinovsku, Daniel Sorm and Jakub Kusa.

Also Read | Pakistan Super League 2022 Schedule, Free PDF Download Online: Get PSL 7 Fixtures, Time Table With Match Timings and Venue Details.

The 29-year old Indian GM drew his final round match against Stefansson late on Saturday to seal the top spot.

It was a third straight title for Lalith Babu. He had previously won in Thailand, followed by one in Italy.

"Kickstarted 2022 by achieving hat-trick championship, by winning my 3rd event Marienbad Open 2022!," the Indian GM tweeted.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)