17 Oct 2018 | 06:09am IST
Omkar steals the limelight in Category B to emerge as champion
PANJIM: Maharashtra’s Omkar Kadav emerged champion in the Category B of the 1st Goa GM International Open Chess Tournament, organised by Goa Chess Association under the auspices of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), at Dr Shyama Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Taleigao Plateau, on Tuesday.
Omkar, who hails from Satara, collected nine points from possible 10 and bagged the crown on tie-break point ahead of second placed Vijay Kumar, who was also tied on nine points. Omkar bagged Rs 1,40,000 cash prize while Vijay had to be content with Rs 1,15,000. In the 10th round, Omkar beat Rishab Nishad while Vijay upset K Prashant.
Rahul Soram Singh, Uzbekistan’s Safarov Donior and Srikanth K finished in third, fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Speaking during the prize distribution ceremony chief guest and Manager Nestle Group Sanjay Bandhari said, “This is a great initiative by GCA to organise and hos such an event in Goa. The platform created by GCA is nothing but to give the children and the youth an environment to experience international level chess in Goa itself. I wish all the best to all the participants and all the future stars.”
Sanjay distributed the prizes to the winners in the presence of guest of honour and Delta Coro Vice President Marketing and Sales Tania Aluvalia, AICF treasurer and tournament Director Kishor Bandekar, Arbiter Arvhind Mhamal, Dattaram Pinge, cordinators Balakrishnan and Sanjay Belurkar, GCA Teasurer Vishwas Pilankar, Vice President Ashish Keni, Vasant Nail and Mayesh Kandolkar.
Top Goan player Anirudh V Bhat finished in 58th position with 6.5 points and was deservingly awarded the Best Goan Player award.
Anirudh Parsekar finished 72nd with 6.5 points and Anvesh Bandekar finished 88th with six points.
Meanwhile, Goa’s Yash Manoj Upadhye was named the Best Player below Elo 1099 while Jurgan Sales Rodrigues was the Best Player below Elo 1199.
Anvesh Bandekar was announced the Best Below Elo 1399 and Elias Barreto was awarded the best unrated player.
Altogether, 433 participants from three different countries participated in the Category B.
