Rohan Ahuja was one of the major achievers for Goa in the sport as he became only the second player from the State to be bestowed with the International Master title. As always, WGM Bhakti Kulkarni, lived up to her billing as she won the Best Women's prize at Commonwealth Chess Championship held in New Delhi. She also won the 4th place at National Women's Challengers Chess Championship and finished 3rd at National Premier Chess Championship in Kolkata.WCM Swera Braganca basked in the glory at ASEAN Standard and Rapid team with a stunning gold and also went on to pluck a silver at the ASEAN blitz team in Singapore. WCM Gunjal Chopdekar also sprung up a similar performance and went on to clinch the gold at ASEAN Rapid and Blitz and a bronze in Blitz team at ASEAN championship in Singapore.
The Goan Network
Panaji
The year 2015 was an eventful year for Goan chess. Most players representing Goa at major tournaments hogged the limelight while some missed out in pursuit of their goals.
IM Rohan Ahuja was one of the major achievers for Goa in the sport as he became only the second player from the State to be bestowed with the International Master title. As always, WGM Bhakti Kulkarni, lived up to her billing and the Goa Carbon Limited Brand Ambassador won the Best Women's prize at Commonwealth Chess Championship held in New Delhi. She also won the 4th place at National Women's Challengers Chess Championship and finished 3rd at National Premier Chess Championship in Kolkata.
WIM Ivana Furtado managed to win a silver medal at Asian Youth Chess Championship while Ritviz Parab emerged a silver medallist as part of Indian contingent of World Youth Chess Olympiad at Mongolia. He also achieved 1st IM norm at Thailand Open Chess. FM Nitish Belurkar was also in the news for winning Goa State Senior Chess Championship and a 4th place in National Sub junior chess championship at Akhnoor, Jammu. He was selected for Indian team for World Youth Chess Olympiad, held in Slovakia and went on to achieve the FM title.
CM Leon Mendonca, a 4th place winner at the National Under 9 chess championship wondered how WCM Swera Braganca basked in the glory at ASEAN Standard and Rapid team with a stunning gold and also went on to pluck a silver at the ASEAN blitz team in Singapore
WCM Gunjal Chopdekar also matched with an equal performance and went on to clinch the Gold at ASEAN Rapid and Blitz and a bronze in Blitz team, ASEAN, Singapore.
The Goan team comprising Adittee Prabhugaonkar, Aishwarya Thorat, Swera Braganca, Gunjal Chopdekar and Faiziya Khan won the 5th place in the National Women's team chess championship held in Goa.
Among other Goan players who excelled at the National School Chess Championship, held in Goa were: Riddhi Zantye – Gold; Gunjal Chopdekar – Silver;M Barath – Bronze.
The Goa Chess Association (GCA) too should be commended for their untiring efforts as they conducted four National tournaments, which included - National Women Challengers chess championship; National Schools chess championship; National Teams chess championship and National Cities chess championship.
GCA secretary Kishor Bandekar was elected for the second consecutive term as Joint Secretary of All India Chess Federation in 2015, which summed up the achievements of Goa and Goans in chess in the year gone by.
