Team Herald
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PANJIM: Mandar Lad and Shreeya Patil emerged as champions in the Shree Ganesh Kala Krida Va Sanskrutik Mandal Goa State U-19 Open and Girls Chess Championship/Selection 2025 organised by the Shree Ganesh Kala Krida Va Sanskrutik Mandal and Bicholim Taluka Chess Association, at the Mayem Village Panchayat hall, recently.
Mandar delivered an excellent performance, scoring a perfect seven out of seven rounds to remain undefeated. He secured the title by defeating Chaitanya Gaonkar in the final round. Rajveer Patil secured the first runner-up position with six points, while Reuben Colaco was declared the second runner-up.
In the girls category, Shreeya clinched the title with an impressive 5.5 points out of six rounds. Anvi Desai and Israa Rikarty both scored 4.5 points, but due to a superior tie-break score, Anvi finished as the runner-up and Israa took third place.
Other prize winners Open Category: Chaitanya Gaonkar, Shubh Borkar, Mayuresh Dessai, Hriday Morajkar, Arthav Shirodker, Aaryavrat Naik Dessai and Aarth Karapurkar.
Category prize winners Open: Vivaan Kadam, Nirbhay Gaude, Sarthak Naik, Rejmon Fernandes, Vivaan Tari, Atharv Ghatwal, Saras Powar, Arnav Dhote, Chaitanya Patil, Sai Prabhakaran R, Naksh Sinari, Ram Gawas, Prachet Malvankar, Atharv Parab and Kanishk Sawant.
Girls category prize winners: Sayuri Naik, Vaishnavi Parab, Skyla Rodrigues, Krutika Aggarwal, Arya Dublay, Lyia Silveira and Sanvi Redkar.
Category prize girls’ winners: Yajwari Shetye, Jigyasa Gawas, Vania Dukle, Shivanya Rao, Shinel Rodrigues, Aaradhya Sawant, Navya Narvekar, Asmi Terse, Eesha Sawant, Aditi Kamat, Ayushi Gawas and Trisha Shetye.
The prize distribution ceremony was graced by chief guest Mahesh Candolkar, president of the Goa Chess Association (GCA). Other dignitaries present were Rajan Kadkade (president, BTCA), Pradeep Shirodkar, Suchitra Shirokar, Arvind Mhamal (chief arbiter), Dr Satyawan Harmalkar (tournament director), Tukaram Shetye and Dr Pravin Sawant (vice-president, BTCA), Ganesh Shet and others.
The top four players from each category have been selected to represent Goa at the upcoming National U-19 Chess Championships.