Team Herald
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VASCO: Ayush Shirodkar of Salcete Taluka won the all-Goa MTCA open rapid chess tournament cum MTCA league final organised by Mourmugao Taluka Chess Association (MTCA) held at Ravindra Bhavan Baina, Vasco, recently.
Ayush remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and grabbed 8.5 points from nine rounds.
Wilson Cruz of Ponda Taluka Chess Association emerged 1st runner-up following his last match win over Anirudh Parsekar of MTCA while Tanvi Hadkonkar of Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association emerged the second runners-up
The tournament attracted a total number of 170 participants from all over Goa with 55 FIDE rated players.
Other 15 winners (from 4-15 –in order: Sanjay Thorat (MTCA), Devesh Anand Naik, WCM Gunjal Chopdekar, Ishan Pagi, Madhavan G, Ayush Shetkar (MTCA), Mandar Lad, Vraj Porob, Vasant Naik, Navin Morajkar (MTCA), Yash Paul (MTCA) and Katkar Atharv.
In this last match of the league, Anirudh Parsekar was declared winner of the MTCA league series 2016-17 of 12 matches, considering his overall medals performance in the league as he fetched four gold and three silver medals to win the MTCA league title and prize money of Rs.19,750.
Sanjay Thorat with two golds, one silver and one bronze secured 1st runner-up position, Ayush Shetkar with two gold and one silver medal emerged second runner- up.
The other MTCA League winners are Rudresh Fadte, Bhimappa Harijan, Dr Brandon Peroz, Navin Morajkar, Yash Paul, Shvesh Naik and Akhilesh Nigale.
This was unique chess league first of its kind introduced by MTCA to train Mormugao Taluka players in monthly matches which has given good results and now GCA is thinking of introducing at all Goa level involving all the talukas.
All Goa age category winners: U-15: 1 Fadte Rudresh (MTCA), 2 Ayush Nagarsekar; (U-15 girls): Tejal Sunil Lotlikar. U-13: Suvrat Acharya, Ganpule Utkarsh (MTCA); (U-13 Girls): Shweta Kamalaksh Sahakari STCA, Sarah Gayle Fernandes STCA. (U-11): Somaiya Shreyansh, Joy Kakodkar; (U-11Girls) Srilaxmi Kamat PTCA, Nidhi Gaude PTCA; (U-9) Edrick Vaz, Dalvi Ishan; (U-9 Girls) Shree Ghonsekar, Drishti Naik; (U-7) Ethan Vaz, Aarush Salgaonkar (MTCA); (U-7 Girls) Sequeira Jennica, STCA, Ikra Sarfaraz (MTCA).
The league age category prizes of MTCA League of 12 matches are U-7: Skandhaj Kotha, Drishti Naik, (U-9) Aarush Pandey, Vrishti Naik, (U-11): Utkarsh Ganpule, Charuta Shetye; (U-13) Akhilesh Nigaley, Ananya Pandey,
The league debut and upcoming players prizes were given to Aarush Salgaonkar and Varada Naik.
Age Category prizes of 12th MTCA match are: U-15 Akhilesh Nigaley, U-13 Ganpule Utkarsh, Charuta Shetye, U-11 Aarush Pandey, Samayara Khan, U-9 Amanat Ali, Valanka Fernandes, U-7 Shlock Mesta, Maizah Sayyed.
The prizes were given by Chief Guest M V Ashthana, Director of Institute of Marine Studies, guests of honour Dena Bank Vasco Manager Shilpa Kumar, CEO of Bandekar Charity Foundation (An initiative of Anant Rajaram Bandekar Group), Tarun Gupta- Mind Trainer, Abinav Agarwal-(IIT) (Think and Imagine enterprise), Captain Narayanan chief editor of Vasco Watch and Bernard Velho along with President of MTCA and Treasurer of All India Chess Federation Kishor Bandekar, Mukund Kambli, Secretary MTCA, Pundalik Nayak –VP MTCA, Anil Patil member MTCA, Namrata Shetye Member MTCA, Co-opted member and Deputy Arbiter Swapnil Hoble, Chief Arbiter Sanjay Kavlekar.
It was one year long event organized by MTCA concluded with this finale with total prize money of approx Rs.1 lakh plus trophies to winners and age category winners. The Guest appreciated the activities undertaken by the MTCA for the benefit of the students.
The League champion took home Rs19,750 as prize money.
