TN lad wins chess meet

Ashok Kaura

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Phagwara, May 28

National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship concluded at Lovely Professional University (LPU) Campus here today. Grandmaster Arvindh Chithambram of Tamil Nadu won both Rapid and Blitz tournaments of National Open Chess Championship 2019. 19-year-old student of BA in Tamil, Arvindh advised young men and women to adopt chess game for overall development of their personality.

GM Visakh NR with 9 points, GM Laxman RR with 8, FM Mehar Chinna Reddy CH with 8, and IM Swayams Mishra also with 8 points remained at second, third, fourth and fifth position in Rapid contest respectively. The winner got cash award of Rs 50,000 and next four of Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 8,500 respectively. Similarly, in Blitz contest after winner Arvindh, GM Laxman RR with 9 points, WGM Kulkarni Bharti with 8, GM Visakh NR with 8 and GM Neelotpal Das also with 8 points remained at second, third, fourth and fifth place respectively. For Blitz, winner got cash award of Rs 20,000 and next four of Rs 12,000, Rs 9,000, Rs 6,500 and Rs 4,000 respectively. In all 40 chess players got cash awards of Rs 2.5 lakh for both the contests.

LPU additional director Aman Mittal and Mrs Vaani Mittal honoured the players with cash awards and mementoes. Also present on the occasion were vice president Punjab state chess association Vinod Sharma; secretary, PSCA, Muneesh Thapar; sr vice president of Jalandhar Chess Association Rajinder Jee; treasurer Kirti Jee; and chief arbiter from Pune Shidore Rajendra.

The Jalandhar Chess Association had organised this championship under the aegis of Punjab State Chess Association and All India Chess Federation. 112 top players from 23 states participated in the four-day tournament. In this championship, illustrious participants included 7 grand masters; 3 woman grand masters; 11 international masters; 1 woman international master; 6 FIDE masters. In both Rapid and Blitz competitions, 11 rounds for each were played. Among small age group contestants, Amaira Mittal displayed best of chess skills in her very tender age by gaining 4 points.