Unbeaten Vivaan Kadam and unbeaten Sreeja Ditesh Ghanekar emerged champions in the Under-7 Goa State Chess Championship-cum-Selection 2026 in the Open and Girls Category respectively.
In the Open Category, on the top board Vivaan Kadam (1539) of Salcete drew with Hredaan Mandrekar of Salcete taluka and won the championship with 5.5 points and was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1500 and trophy.
On the 2nd board, Ojas Kamat (1437) of Mormugao taluka got the better of Nirbhay Gaude of Ponda and finished 2nd with 5 points and was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1000 and trophy. On the 3rd board, Kritin Singh of Tiswadi beat Daksh Jaykumar Kathrani of Salcete taluka and finished 3rd with 5 ponits and was awarded a cash prize of Rs 800 and trophy.
The 4th to 6th place winners are Hredaan Mandrekar, Daksh Jaykumar Kathrani and Shashwat Tari Naik. They were awarded a cash prize of Rs 700, Rs 600 and Rs 500 and trophies respectively.
The best players from Salcete taluka prize’winners in the Open Category are:
1st: Pragyan Pradeep Gaonkar 2nd: Yashveer Yeshwant Naik.
In the Girls Category, on the top board Sreeja Ditesh Ghanekar of Canacona taluka managed to outwit Srisha Sanjiv Mesta of Mormugao to emerge champion with 5 points by staying undefeated throughout the championship. She was awarded a cash prize of Rs. 1500 and a grand trophy. On the 2nd board, Yashasvi Walke of Bardez got the better of Paaviya Pavankumar Naik of Ponda and finished 2nd with 4 points. She was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1000 and trophy. On the 3rd board, Phacelia Eliaza Barreto of Salcete defeated Anushree Vishwajit Dessai of Mormugao to finish 4th with 4 points. She was awarded a cash prize of Rs. 800 and trophy.
The 4th to 6th place winners are Paaviya Pavankumar Naik, Srisha Sanjiv Mesta, and Jigyasa Gawas. They were awarded a cash prize of Rs 700, Rs 600 and Rs 500 and trophies respectively. The best players from Salcete taluka prize’winners in the Open Category are: 1st: Sanvi Pradeep Naik 2nd: Kiara Fernandes.
The tournament had a total participation of 32 players in the Open Category and 15 players in the Girls Category with the championship being held at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Margao.
The closing ceremony was held in the presence of Ashesh Keni, Secretary of Goa Chess Association, Damodar Zambulikar, Vice President of Goa Chess Association, Jostna Saripalli, Chief Arbiter, and Prithviraj Katkar, esteemed member of Salcete Taluka Chess Association of the championship.
Ashesh Keni was the Tournament Director, whike Arbiters team consisted of Chief Arbiter IA Jostna Saripalli, FA Asha Shirodkar and FA Ridikesh Vernekar.
