MARGAO
AIM Ethan Vaz and Jennica Sequeira won the Goa State Under-12 Chess Championship cum Selection for Nationals, in the Open and Girls categories respectively.
The championship was organised by Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association under the banner of 'Late Smt Taramati Candolkar Memorial', at Mahalaxmi Vachan Mandir Hall, Mala, Panaji, recently, on behalf of Goa Chess Ad-hoc Committee established by the All India Chess Federation.
In the Open category, top seed Ethan Vaz of Salcete emerged as the winner by scoring 6 points in 6 rounds and remaining undefeated in the tournament amongst 66 players. In the Girls category, Jennica Sequeira of Salcete scored 4.5 points in 5 rounds and emerged as the winner amongst 26 players. Abhir Prabhu of Pernem stood second in the Open category with 5 points, while Saeeja Dessai of Salcete stood second in the Girls category with 4 points.
The top two players in each category are selected to represent Goa at the Under-12 Nationals to be held at Mandya, Karnataka, from April 9 to 14.
Other prize winners in the Open category: Vedant Angle, Rajveer Patil, Sairaj Narvekar, Kavish Borkar. In the Girls category: Vaishnavi Parab, Diya Sawal, Shrama Murudkar, Shrivalli Gandhi. Best U8 & Tiswadi Taluka: Prachet Malvankar, Joshua Telles, Shreyash Hawal, Lyia Silveira, Avani Sawaikar, Murial Fernandes.
Mahesh Candolkar was the chief guest at the prize distribution function and the prizes were distributed in the presence of Dnyaneshwar Naik, Chairman of Ad-hoc Committee, Sachin Arolkar, Convenor; Ashesh Keni, Dattaram Pinge, Arvind Mhamal, Atish Angle, Prakash Sawant, Naresh Pednekar, Heramb Prabhudesai, Sandesh Amonkar Giridhar Phadte, Nandhini Mhamal and other office-bearers of TTCA and Mahalaxmi Vachan Mandir Hall.
