Top performers, IM Nitish Belurkar (1st), Mandar Lad (2nd), and Rishikesh Parab (3rd), pictured with dignitaries and Queens Club members.
Photo Credits: The Goan
PANAJI
IM Nitish Belurkar clinched the title at the Monsoon Cup All Goa Open Rapid Chess Tournament 2025, finishing with a perfect score of 9 out of 9 points. The event was organised by the Queens Chess and Cultural Club at Dr K B Hedgewar School, Cujira.
Mandar Lad and Rishikesh Parab finished second and third respectively with 8 points each. Dmitry Bezstrakhov and Reuben Colaco followed in fourth and fifth place with 7.5 points apiece.
Players scoring 7 points and taking positions from sixth to fifteenth were Devesh Naik, Parth Salvi, WCM Gunjal Chopdekar, Aryan Raikar, Shane Braganca, Datta Kambli, Chaitanya Gaonkar, Mayank Kurtikar, Shaurya Agrasani, and Swera Braganca. With 6.5 points each, Shubham Sawaikar, Mayuresh Desai, Aarav Chopdekar, Anish Naik, and Vihaan Tari were placed from sixteenth to twentieth.
The Best Woman Prize went to Nidhi Gaude with 6.5 points, while Vasant Naik took home the Best Veteran Prize with 6 points.
In the age categories: Under-15 Boys: 1. Chaitanya Patil, 2. Aarth Karapurkar; Under-15 Girls: 1. Vaishnavi Parab, 2. Riddhi Sanjay Gaude; Under-13 Boys: 1. Ethan Silveira, 2. Nathan Cardozo; Under-13 Girls: 1. Liya Silveira, 2. Alaina Gomes; Under-11 Boys: 1. Aaryavrat Naik Desai, 2. Prachet Malvankar; Under-11 Girls: 1. Samrithi Malkar, 2. Muriel Fernandes; Under-9 Boys: 1. Prayank Gaonakar, 2. Rejmon Fernandes; Under-9 Girls: 1. Shreesha Ghadi, 2. Sidonia D’Cunha; Under-7 Boys: 1. Nilay Gaude, 2. Schaffer Viegas; Under-7 Girls: 1. Sreeja Ghanekar, 2. Adhvi Terse.
Yashasvi Walke was awarded the Youngest Girl Prize, and Vihaan Usapkar received the Youngest Boy Prize.
Bindiya Dempo was the chief guest for the inaugural function, while social worker Damodar Naik, who sponsored the prize money in memory of Late Shantaram Zantye, was the chief guest at the prize distribution. Tanishq Kavlekar, India’s youngest FIDE Arbiter and the tournament’s chief arbiter, was felicitated during the event.
The prize distribution ceremony was attended by Ashesh Keni (Secretary, GCA), Kishor Bandekar (President, MTCA and Organising Secretary, 24th IPCA World Chess Championship for Persons with Disabilities), Dattaram Pinge (Secretary, TTCA), IA Sanjay Kavlekar (SAG Chess Coach), Sameer Naik (Secretary, QTCA), former state champion Vasant Naik, and Queens Club President Dr Roopa Belurkar. Also present were Balakrishnan V, Sanjay Belurkar, Dr Snehil Shetty, Dr Pradnya Kakodkar, Sarika Chopdekar, Vishala Shetty, Sunetra Dagare, Teja Hadkonkar, Dr. Rekha Poduwal, and Renuka Hawal. The event was compered by Dr Pradnya Kakodkar, Vice President of Queens Club.
