PANAJI
Unbeaten Vivaan Kadam and Sreeja Ditesh Ghanekar emerged champions in the Under-7 Goa State Chess Championship-cum-Selection 2026, winning the Open and Girls categories respectively.
In the Open category, top seed Vivaan Kadam (1539) of Salcete played a draw against Hredaan Mandrekar on the top board to seal the title with 5.5 points. He received a cash prize of ₹1500 along with a trophy. Ojas Kamat (1437) of Mormugao secured second place with 5 points after defeating Nirbhay Gaude of Ponda, earning ₹1000 and a trophy. Kritin Singh of Tiswadi finished third with 5 points, defeating Daksh Jaykumar Kathrani of Salcete, and was awarded ₹800 and a trophy.
Hredaan Mandrekar, Daksh Jaykumar Kathrani, and Shashwat Tari Naik finished in fourth to sixth places, receiving cash prizes of ₹700, ₹600, and ₹500 respectively along with trophies.
In the Salcete taluka Open category awards, Pragyan Pradeep Gaonkar secured first place, while Yashveer Yeshwant Naik finished second.
In the Girls category, Sreeja Ditesh Ghanekar of Canacona remained unbeaten and clinched the title with 5 points after defeating Srisha Sanjiv Mesta of Mormugao. She was awarded ₹1500 and a trophy. Yashasvi Walke of Bardez finished second with 4 points after overcoming Paaviya Pavankumar Naik of Ponda, earning ₹1000 and a trophy. Phacelia Eliaza Barreto of Salcete secured third place with 4 points after defeating Anushree Vishwajit Dessai of Mormugao, receiving ₹800 and a trophy.
Paaviya Pavankumar Naik, Srisha Sanjiv Mesta, and Jigyasa Gawas finished fourth to sixth, earning ₹700, ₹600, and ₹500 respectively along with trophies.
In the Salcete taluka Girls category, Sanvi Pradeep Naik claimed first place, while Kiara Fernandes finished second.
The championship, held at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Margao, saw participation from 32 players in the Open category and 15 in the Girls category.
