PANJIM: Geno Pharmaceuticals brand ambassador, Candidate Master Nitish Belurkar added yet another feather to the cap as he won the all-Goa open rapid chess tournament, organized by Alto Santa Cruz Bambolim Chess Club, at Jubilee hall, Goa University, Taleigao plateau, recently.
Nitish remained undefeated in the tournament to score eight points out of nine.
Niraj Saripalli who scored 7.5 points was placed second. Ameya Audi also scored 7.5 points but was placed third on tie-break.
Anant Prabhudesai, Shane Braganca, Gaurav Madkaikar, Suyan Belurkar and Saiesh Audi scored seven points each to garner the fourth to eighth positions respectively.
Nandini Saripalli, Wilson Cruz, M Barath, Adv PM Kantak, Brendon Peroz, Aishwarya Thorat and Sahil Shetty won the ninth to 15th places respectively.
Pratik Borkar (U-7 boys), Aricia Gonsalves (U-7 girls), Leon Mendonca (U-9 boys), WCM Gunjal Chopdekar (U-9 girls), Rudresh Fadte (U-11 boys), WCM Swera Braganca (U-11 girls), Anirudh Parsekar (U-13 boys), Riddhi Zantye (U-13 girls), Ambar Dalal (U-15 boys), Hritika Naik (U-15 girls) were the age group category winners.
Capt. Joe Abreau was the chief guest and gave away the prizes in the presence of Kishor Bandekar, Secretary of Goa Chess Association; Mahesh Candolkar, President and Sanjay Belurkar, Secretary of Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association; Sarvanand Shirodkar, President and Kumarsen Kambli, Secretary of Alto Santa Cruz Bambolim Chess Club and Arvind Mhamal, Chief Arbiter were also present.
