Aryans Chess Academy

♟️ About Aryans Chess Academy

Aryans Chess Academy is a chess organization based in Pune, Maharashtra, India, and the organizer behind the recurring Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial (LBHM) Chess Festival. The academy organizes FIDE-rated tournaments as well as state-level competitions and works within the official Indian chess structure through the All India Chess Federation, Maharashtra Chess Association and Pune District Chess Circle. A major part of the academy’s public activity is built around the LBHM Chess Festival, which has developed into a regular series of classical, rapid and blitz competitions. The tournament program combines major open events with rating-restricted sections and age-group competitions. As a result, the series provides opportunities for experienced titled players, developing juniors and club players within the same broader festival structure. Nagnath Halkude is the principal organizer associated with the academy’s tournament program and serves as Founder & Chief Organizer of the LBHM Chess Festival. He also acts as Organizing Secretary for its major events. Yogesh Mahamuni, another central figure in the series, serves as Founder & Tournament Director of LBHM Chess Festival. Together with a wider organizing committee, they manage an expanding schedule of rated tournaments in Pune.

🏆 LBHM Chess Festival & Tournament Activities

The Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial Chess Festival is Aryans Chess Academy’s principal recurring tournament program. By 2026, the series had already reached more than twenty numbered LBHM competitions across classical, rapid, blitz and rating-restricted formats. A major festival held in Pune from May 18–26, 2026 combined four FIDE-rated competitions: an Open, a Below-1800 tournament, a Rapid event and a Blitz event. The festival offered a combined prize fund of more than ₹32 lakh and hundreds of cash prizes, trophies and medals. The Open attracted Grandmasters, International Masters, FIDE Masters and a large field of players from India and abroad. Earlier in 2026, Aryans Chess Academy organized the 19th LBHM All India Open FIDE Rapid Rating Chess Tournament at Dhruv Global School in Pune. More than 360 players were expected for that event, including several International Masters. The competition operated under the auspices of the Maharashtra Chess Association, All India Chess Federation and Pune District Chess Circle. The academy has continued to expand the series through the UNSTOPPABLE LBHM 2026 festival. Scheduled for November 10–18, 2026, the program includes four more FIDE-rated events: Open Classical, Below-1700 Classical, Blitz and Rapid competitions. These events carry the LBHM numbering from the 25th through the 28th tournaments and are staged at Mansukhbhai Kothari National School in Pune.

🌱 Junior Chess & Development

Aryans Chess Academy also organizes competitions specifically for young players. In May 2026, it organized the H2e Power Systems Maharashtra 24th LBHM State Under-7 Open and Girls Chess Championship in association with Sinhgad Sports Association. That competition served as an official selection event for the National Under-7 Chess Championship. Therefore, it connected local and state-level junior competition directly with India’s national championship pathway. Junior players also feature prominently throughout the main LBHM tournament series. The organizers regularly provide age-category prizes alongside the overall and rating-category awards. Consequently, young players can compete in large FIDE-rated fields while also having dedicated recognition within their own age groups. The festival format gives developing players repeated exposure to classical, rapid and blitz competition. It also brings them into the same tournament environment as Grandmasters, International Masters and other titled players, which creates additional competitive experience beyond purely age-group events.

📚 Development of the LBHM Series

The LBHM tournament program has expanded substantially through repeated editions in Pune. Rather than operating as one annual event, the organizers have developed a sequence of competitions held at different points during the year. By May 2026, the principal festival already included the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd LBHM tournaments. Soon afterward, the academy organized the 24th LBHM as the Maharashtra State Under-7 Championship. The November UNSTOPPABLE festival then continued the numbering with the 25th through 28th editions. This approach has allowed Aryans Chess Academy to create a recognizable recurring tournament program across several formats. Classical events remain an important part of the calendar, while rapid and blitz tournaments broaden participation and provide additional FIDE-rated opportunities. The organizers also place a strong emphasis on tournament logistics. Recent festivals have included dedicated playing halls, parent areas, accommodation arrangements and structured registration support. Moreover, the organizing committee includes experienced tournament officials and arbiters who work across the academy’s larger events.