Team Herald

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PANJIM: Vasant Vishnu Naik of Chicalim drew with Yash Paul in the final round to clinch the 8th Mormugao Taluka Chess Association Chess League title in the rapid tournament and remained unbeaten by scoring 6.5 pts out of 7 rounds, at Shireen Complex, Dabolim, recently. 

He thwarted the dream of Anirudh Parsekar by winning this match. 

Anirudh has already won four matches and is very close to be the champion as the league is still open with four more matches to go as Vasant Naik, Bhimappa Harijan, Rudresh Fadte and Ayush Shetkar have won only one match each.

Anirudh defeated Rudresh in the last round to settle for second place by scoring 6 points, whereas Yash finished third with 5.5 points. Other results: Fourth Fadte Rudresh (5), fifth Morajkar Navin (5), Ganpule Utkarsh (5), Brendan Peroz (5), Sahil Dayanand Desai (5), Sudhakar Patgar (5), Thorat Sanjay (5). 

Age category winners: U-15 boys: Peroz Antoniolee  (4), girls: Pandey Ananya (4.5). U-13 boys: Nigaley Akhilesh (4.5), girl: Dhanpal Mishka (4). U-11 boys: Umar Nikhil (4), girls: Vrishti Naik (3). U-9 boys: Aarush Pandey (5), girls: Varada Naik (3). U-7 boys: Aniket Ekka (3), girls: Ikra Sarfaraz (2). U-5 boys: Aarush Salgaonkar  (2). 

Chief guest Cherrian Kuruvella, principal of Airway Public School, Vidhyanagar-Dabolim and guest of honours Iqbal Hussain Sayed and Shireen Sayed gave away the prizes in the presence of Kishor Bandekar, President MTCA; Mukund Kambli, Swapnil Hoble, Sujan Sukhatnkar and Ajay Thorat. Swapnil Hoble, was the chief arbiter.

The tournament which was held under the auspices of Goa Chess Association saw participation of 53 players out of which 20 were rated, from Mormugoa taluka, and was played under Swiss League System.