Indian Rummy Grandmasters Series: Elevating Rummy to a National Mind Sport

The Indian Rummy Grandmasters Series has launched under the SOG Grandmasters Series, emphasizing Rummy as a skill-based mind sport. The South Zonal Finals highlighted diverse talent and crowned champions who are now set for the National Finals. The series aims for broader recognition of mind sports in India.

The inaugural Indian Rummy Grandmasters Series has kicked off, redefining Rummy as a mind sport that combines skill, strategy, and competitive aptitude. Part of the SOG Grandmasters Series, the event saw its South Zonal Finals in Bengaluru showcase games like Chess and Chess for the Blind. Champions Pazhani Manickam, Vishnudev K.R., and Mahesh Kumar Chinthlu emerged from diverse backgrounds, epitomizing the spirit of this ambitious competition. Future zonal finals are scheduled for the new year, leading up to the National Finals, thereby underlining the series' commitment to spotlight exceptional talent.

Launched by the Skillhub Online Games Federation, the SOG Grandmasters Series is a champion of skill-based mind sports. It successfully attracted nearly 50,000 registrants for the Indian Rummy Grandmasters Series alone, which concluded its South Zonal Finals after three rigorous rounds of online qualification and four more rounds of gameplay. The West Zonal Finals are anticipated in February 2025, marking a significant step in establishing structured mind sports competitions and platforms for competitive gaming heroes in India. Winners include those advancing to the National Finals in Delhi alongside Indian Chess Masters for Blind and Indian Chess Masters champions.

Winning stories include Pazhani, a 46-year-old KGF worker, who plans to use his victory to create a library for underprivileged children, and Mahesh, who discovered a national platform through Rummy in the pandemic. Vishnudev from Mandya, Karnataka, has played Rummy since childhood and sees tournaments like the SOG series validating Rummy as a serious sport with valuable life lessons. This initiative by the SOGF highlights its mission to nurture and excel Indian talents in the globally growing sector of skill-based competitions.

(With inputs from agencies.)