MARGAO: Ponda City A team of Ameya Audi, Barath M, Cruz Wilson, Madkaikar Gaurav and Ved Gurudatt Patil put up a good performance to secure the third place at the 16th National Cities Team Chess Championship organized by the Goa Chess Association and Canacona Sports Academy in association with Sports Authority of Goa on behalf of All India Chess Federation, at PJN stadium, Fatorda, here, on Thursday. All together 20 teams from all-over the country took part.
The Goan team comprised of young and dynamic players Ameya Audi (1962) of RMS College, Margao; Barath M (1943) of Sharada Mandir HS, Mira Mar; Cruz Wilson (1884), Madkaikar Gaurav (1687) and Ved Gurudatt Patil (1176) of Almeida High School, Ponda who formed a perfect combination to tally five wins out of the seven rounds to finish joint second, but they had to be satisfied for the third place.
The first place was bagged by the Bengaluru City Team with 14 points, followed by Calicut City, Kerala with 10 points, against whom the Ponda City A had won in the fifth round of the tournament.
The fourth position was secured by Margao City team clinching nine points and the fifth place was won by the Ludhiana City team.
This is the first time that a Goan Team has bagged top honours in the National Cities Chess Championship.
The winners will get a chance to represent in the Asian Cities Team Chess tournament to be held in Sri Lanka in July.
Vinay Tendulkar, President of Goa Chess Association was the chief guest and gave away the prizes in the presence of Kishor Bandekar, GCA Secretary; Ashesh Keni, GCA Vice-President; Sagar Sakordekar GCA Vice-President, stadium manager Gurudas Vernekar and chief arbiter RC Chatterjee. Ramdas Sawant, treasurer of GCA welcomed. Sharendra Naik compered and later proposed the vote of thanks.
