Senthil Maran K wins 2nd Dragonara Festival 2025
IM Senthil Maran K and FM Paolo Formento (ITA) scored an unbeaten 4/5 each at 2nd Dragonara Festival Rating Category A (>1900) 2025. Senthil won the tournament due to better tie-break scores. Paolo was placed second. Three players scored 3.5/5 each. Out of them, Jacopo Motola (ITA) secured third place. The total prize fund of the tournament was €4000. The top three prizes in Category A were €500 + plate, €400 and €300 each respectively. The three-day five round Rating tournament was organized by Paolo D'Augusta at Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi in Camogli, Italy from 21st to 23rd February 2025. This is Senthil's second tournament triumph of the year. Photo: Paolo D'Augusta
Senthil's second triumph of the year
The festival witnessed the participation of a total of 105 players - 26 in Category A (>1900), 57 in Category B (<2000) and 22 in Category C (<1600).
Organizer's note
The tournament was held in Camogli, a very charming village with 5000 residents,
25 km from Genoa and 15 km by car from Portofino, 1 hour and 30 minutes by train from the Cinque Terre.
When
From February 21st to 23rd, just before the Festival des Jeux in Cannes (which runs from February 24th to March 2nd, starting at 4:30 PM on February 24th), to provide distant players with the opportunity to participate in two competitions in a single trip. The winners of Tournaments A and B both participated in the Cannes Tournament, after winning in Camogli.
Results
The tournament demonstrated a good technical balance up until the final round, with the first five players in Tournament A separated by just half a point, and six players in Tournament B also within half a point of each other. Notably, the top three players in Tournament B combined have a total age of just 47 years, highlighting the presence of many young competitors.
Participants expressed their satisfaction with the event, praising the competition venue, the charming village of Camogli, and the overall atmosphere of the tournament. They also enjoyed the local culinary offerings, including regional specialties such as “pesto” and “focaccia with cheese”. Many players asked for the confirmation of the festival for 2026.
Why a new Festival
The organizing club, Scacchi Golfo Paradiso, named after the Gulf of Recco and Camogli, was established on May 14, 1975, marking now its half-century anniversary.
Originally called “Circolo Scacchistico Rutese”, the club started in Ruta, a small suburb on the hill of Camogli (see photo R 1). Last year, our Vice President, Giovanni Diena (born in 1926 and now recognized as the oldest active player in Italy), who is also one of the founders of the club, initiated a project called “the Dream.”
The aim was to host an international tournament in Camogli to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary, establishing it as a noteworthy event on the calendar of established tournaments.
When the decision was made to launch this tournament, an unusual name was selected: the “Festival della Dragonara”. This name was chosen to attract attention to the new event. "Dragonara" refers to one of the names of the “Castel Dragone,” a fortress built to defend against pirates who attacked Camogli from the sea centuries ago. Situated on the highest point overlooking the port, this landmark adds a unique historical significance to our festival.
The first experimental edition of the event took place in February 2024 with an attendance of 69 people, This success sparked the idea for future editions. This year, we made investments to host the event in a prestigious venue, invited several FIDE-titled players, and increased the prize pool from €3500 to 4000 (just for Tournament A, from €300 to 500 for the first).
The positive feedback from participants, many of whom expressed a desire to return, has prompted us to begin planning for the 2026 edition now. We are committed to selecting a date that aligns closely with the start of the Festival des Jeux in Cannes, as we believe that optimizing travel logistics is vital for participants coming from far away.
If the Festival proves to be successful, we may consider organizing in the future a nine-round edition over an entire week. We are excited to see where this journey takes us.
A total of 26 players including a GM and two IMs took part from four countries across the world in Category A (>1900). The three-day five round Rating tournament was organized by Paolo D'Augusta at Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi in Camogli, Italy from 21st to 23rd February 2025. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.
Replay all available Category A games
Final standings in Open A (>1900)
