Team Herald
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PANJIM: Joshua Telles and Vaishnavi Parab won the Goa State U-15 Open and Girls Chess Championship 2025 organised by the Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association (TTCA) under the aegis of Sports Authority of Goa and the Goa Chess Association and in collaboration with Hedgewar High School, recently.
With impressive performances from budding chess talents, In the Open Category, Joshua Telles claimed the championship title with a strong score of seven out of eight rounds, drawing his final round against Rishit Gawas to secure the top spot.
In the girls category, Vaishnavi Parab emerged as the champion with an outstanding, unbeaten run. She scored 7.5 out of eight points, drawing her final round with Navya Narvekar to clinch the title convincingly.
In the open category, Chaitanya Gaonkar, Saras Powar, Rishit Gawas, Sai Prabhakaran, Aarav Chopdekar, Shubh Borkar, Kanishk Sawant, Aiden Grao, Atharva Borkar and Athrv Sawal, scored six points each. But on tie-break Chaitanya Stood second, Saras Powar third and Rishit Gawas fourth.
Category prize winners in U-9, U-11, U-13: Sarthak Naik, Aarav Nageshkar, Vihaan Tari, Atharv Gharwal, Ethan Silveira, Arnav Dhote, Evan Telles and Nirbhay Gaude.
Tiswadi and Hedgewar: Trivikram J, Aarush Nachnolikar, Shivam Gaitonde and Neil Desai. Youngest player: Gabriel Ferrao
In the girls category: Jennica Sequeira, Saeeja Dessai, Krutika Aggarwal, Asmi Terse and Navya Narvekar, all finishing with six points each. Based on better tie-break scores, Jennica stood second, Saeeja stood third and Krutika fourth.
Other prize winners from 5th to 10th: Asmi Terse, Navya Narvekar, Shrama Morudkar Lyia Silveira , Tvisha and Sayuri Prabhu Nasnodkar. Category prize winners in the girls U-9, U-11, U-13: Vania Dukle, Shreesha Ghadi, Skyla Rodrigues, Avni Sawaikar, Yajwari Shetye and Shreeya Ghanekar.
Best TTCA and Hedgewar: Aaradhya Sawant, Srinika Malik, Shrivalli Gandhi and Shravani Naik and Chinmayee Kerkar.
The top four players from both categories will represent Goa at the upcoming National U-15 Chess Championship, scheduled to be held in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, from November 2 to 10.
The prize distribution ceremony was graced by Goa Chess Association President Mahesh Candolkar, Hedgewar High School, Cujira-Bambolim, Head Master Vilas Satarkar, TTCA Secretary Arvind Mhamal, TTCA Treasurer Dattaram Pinge, GCA Vice-President Satyawan Harmalkar GCA Joint Secretary Tukaram Shetye, Atish Angle, Pallavi Kakodkar, Naresh Pednekar, Sandesh Amonkar and others.
