Vinit Dhoot and Greeshma Dhumal, both with an identical tally of 7.5 points each, clinched the boys and girls’ under-16 crowns respectively in the Mahavir Prasad Morarka Memorial Maharashtra State Schools Chess Championship 2018, which is being played, here, at the Nehru Centre, Worli.
Chaturthi Pardeshi (centre), the champion in the Girls’ U-8 category, runner-up Aarna Shah, third place winner and the other seven medal winners in Mahavir Prasad Morarka Memorial Maharashtra State School Chess Championship 2018.proudly pose with their trophies and medals along with Chief Guest, Mrs Bharati Morarka, wife of Kamal Morarka , Mr. Kalantri, CMD of Balaji Infra and Praful Zaveri, Founder Indian Chess School.
The top-ranked Vinit defeated Shubham Bandikatte (4.5) with the black pieces on the top board to remain in pole position and emerge champion.
Third ranked Harsha Vartak and fifth ranked Vihaan Shetty, both won their final round matches and finished with 7 points each, but the former with a better progressive score was placed second, while Vihaan had to settle for third position.
On the third board, Harsha playing with black pieces did well to outwit Jeet Dey (5) while Vihaan tamed Bhargav Sheth (4.5) on the foruth board.
In the Girls’ U-16 competition, eighth-ranked Greeshma Dhumal scored an easy win against second-ranked Archita Toraskar (4.5) to hold on to her lead and win the title. Sixth ranked Rajalakshmi Vishwanathan (6) outsmarted Vedhika Ramanan (2.5) to claim the second position, while number one ranked Isha Inamdar (5,5) was held to a draw by lowly Shraddha Kadam (1.5) and had to remain content with a third place finish.
Important 9th round results – Boys 16: AIM Shubham Bandikatte (4.5) lost Vinit Dhoot (7.5), Darshan Mutagi (6) drew AFM Eshaan Gupta (6.5), Jeet Dey (5) lost Harsha Vartak (7), Vihaan Shetty (7) beat Bhargav Sheth (4.5), Manav Shivalkar (5) drew with Aryan Deogade (5).
Boys 14: Pranav Nankar (6) drew Rishi Kadam (8), Hriday Sangoi (5) lost Rachit Lund (8), Mihiir Sarvade (6.5) beat Sudhanshu Nikam (5), Ayush Mayekar (6) beat AFM Vedant Nagarkatte (5), Kshitij Mudliyar (5.5) drew with Aum Chordia (5.5).
Girls U-14: Parnavi Rane (7.5) beat Radhika Chopra (4.5), Kiyarra Khaturia (7) beat Prisha Kapadia (4.5), Saniya Tadavi (7) beat Sailee Desai (4.5), Miloni Sonpal (5) drew Sanskruti Sawant (5.5), Devlekar Vaibhavi (4.5) drew Dhwani Jain (2.5).
Girls 16: Rajalakshmi Vishwanathan (6) beat Vedhika Ramanan (2.5), Manasi Thanekar (3.5) beat Shedge Sailee (0), Greeshma Dhumal (7.5) beat Archita Toraskar (4.5), Shraddha Kadam (1.5) drew Isha Inamdar (5.5).
Top 3 winners – Girl’s U-6: 1. Chaturthi Pardeshi (8 points), 2. Aarna Shah (7), 3. Swara Railkar (7).
Girl’s U-8: 1. Hiya Shah (9), 2. Nihira Koul (7), 3. Ojal Ambilwade (6,5).
Girl’s U-10: 1. Aanya Roy (7,5), 2. Rucha Dakare (7,5), 3. Aastha Turankar (6,5).
Girl’s U-12: 1. Vrisha Shah (8,5), 2. Kriti Patel (8), 3. Tanvi Borate (6).
Girl’s U-14: 1. Parnavi Rane (7,5), 2. Kiyarra Khaturia (7), 3. Saniya Tadavi (7).
Girl’s U-16: 1. Greeshma Dhumal (7,5), 2. Rajalakshmi Vishwanathan (6), 3. Isha Inamdar (5,5).
Boy’s U-6: 1 Viraj Rane (8), 2. Vedant Karthik (7,5), 3. Siddhant Bharti (7).
Boy’s U-8: 1. Kushagra Jain (8,5), 2. Aditya Patil (7,5), 3. Gaigore Sanskar (7).
Boy’s U-10: 1. Vedant Vekhande (8), 2. Aradhya Tikam (7,5), 3. Prathmesh Gawde (7).
Boy’s U-12: 1. Ritvik Krishnan (9), 2. Aditya Ramanathan (7,5), 3. Vyankatesh S Dande (7).
Boy’s U-14: 1. Rishi Kadam (8), 2. Rachit Lund (8), 3. Mihiir Sarvade (6,5).
Boy’s U-16: 1. Vinit Dhoot (7,5), 2. Harsh Vartak (7), 3. Vihaan Shetty (7).