Aayush Shirodkar and WCM Gunjal Chopdekar won the Goa State U-19 Open and Girls titles respectively at the selection tournament organised by Bicholim Taluka Chess Association under the auspices of Goa Chess Association, with support of Shree Ganesh Kala Krida Va Sanskrutik Mandal Kumbharwada, Mayem-Bicholim.
Held at Sateri Devastan Hall, the state championship cum selection event drew 92 entries in Open and 52 in girls section; from all over Goa.
Aarush remained undefeated in the tournament with a score of 6 points from 6 rounds. Chaitanya Gaonkar with 5 points, stood second while Saras Summer Powar finished third in the Open Category.
WCM Gunjal and Shriya Patil scored 5.5 points each. However, due to a better tie break, Gunjal was declared the winner. Shriya Patil finished runners-up and Rachel Pereira was placed third in the Girls category.
The other prize-winners in Open Category: Shubh Borkar, Mayuresh Desai, Aaryavrat Naik Dessai, Vihaan Tari, Aarav Chopdekar, Joshua Telles and Siddhiraj Gaunkar.
The other prize-winners in Girls Category: Lyia Silveira, Saeeja Dessai, Siddhi Naik, Shinel Rodrigues, Vaishnavi Parab, Tanvi Hadkonkar and Skyla Rodrigues.
Prize-winners U7, U9, U11, U13, U15 in Open: Evan Telles, Narayan alias Aarav Prabhu Dessai, Rishit Gawas, Shubhan Dhume, Shaurya Agrasani, Atharva Borkar, Hriday Morajkar, Kanishk Sawant, Anish Khorjuenkar, Chaitanya Patil, Viom Parab, Yatharth Desai, Atharv Parab, Adarsh Naik, Shuban Malkar
Prize-winners U7, U9, U11, U13, U15 in Girls Category: Shivanya Rao, Sidonia Dacunha, Krutika Aggrawal, Shreeya Bandodkar, Rochel Pereira, Saachi Salgaonkar, Navya Narvekar, Svetlana Dacunha, Aditi Kamat, Avni Kamat, Samrithi Malkar, Purvi Neswankar.
Prizes were presented by chief guest Premendra Vishnu Shet, MLA of Mayem; in the presence of Mahesh Candolkar ( President Goa Chess Association), Dilip Shet (Panch Member), Nilesh Shetkar, Arvind Mhamal ( Chief Arbiter), Ganesh Shet, Rajan Kadkade (President BTCA), Dr Satyawan Harmalkar ( Tournament Director ) and others.
The first 4 players each from Open and Girls category will represent Goa at National U-19 (Junior) Chess Championship 2024 to be held in Haryana from 16th to 24th September 2024.
