Port Blair, July 14: The A & N State Chess Championship 2024 cum selection Trials for Nationals which commenced on 13.07.2024 at ITI Campus Dollygunj, Port Blair, concluded successfully today evening. The event was organised by Andaman Nicobar Chess Association (ANCA)
A record-breaking turnout of 330 chess players in the age group of 4 to 68 years participated with great enthusiasm. This is by far the largest chess tournament in the history of the A&N Islands, including the participation from all the three districts of A & N Islands.
Shri. Arjun Sharma, IAS, Deputy Commissioner (South Andaman), was the chief guest at the closing ceremony, while Shri. Harminder Singh, Director, Tribal Welfare and Shri. Ch. Venkatesh, Principal, ITI, Dolly Gunj, were the guests of honour. They gave away the prizes to the winners.
The championship was played over two days in 9 rounds in Swiss format with a time control of 25 minutes + 10 seconds increment per player from the first move, from which R Kashthuri Bhai emerged as the A & N State Chess Champion for the year 2024, scoring 8.5 points from 9 rounds and remained unbeaten in the championship. Comdnt. A K S Srimananaryana, who scored 8 points from 9 rounds, secured the runners-up trophy. ACM Dinakar M A secured the third place with 7.5 points from nine rounds, while AFM Yashwant V and D Shrestha Vijay finished fourth and fifth respectively with 7.5 points.
The top 4 players will represent the A & N Islands in the 61st National Chess Championship 2024 to be held in Haryana in August 2024.
Apart from the Open Category, prizes in different age categories were also awarded to the best performing players in different age categories as follows.
| Category Under 06 Boys | Category Under 06 Girls | ||
| 1st Position | Udayvir Singh | 1st Position | N Danusri |
| 2nd Position | M.Ritwik | 2nd Position | D Neharika |
| 3rd Position | T Easanth | 3rd Position | P Lakshita*** |
| Category Under 08 Boys | Category Under 08 Girls | ||
| 1st Position | S.Eshaan | 1st Position | D Charvi |
| 2nd Position | R Medanth | 2nd Position | T. Aarohi |
| 3rd Position | B Vignesh | 3rd Position | N Shreenika |
| Category Under 10 Boys | Category Under 10 Girls | ||
| 1st Position | Vyom Tiwari | 1st Position | Krishnapriya B Rajesh |
| 2nd Position | Rohan Singh | 2nd Position | G Disha Meenakshi |
| 3rd Position | S Jyoshit | 3rd Position | S Bhavishya |
| Category Under 12 Boys | Category Under 12 Girls | ||
| 1st Position | K Jaivardan Rao | 1st Position | Parnita |
| 2nd Position | Y Rushil | 2nd Position | T Sonam Mahesh |
| 3rd Position | Aaron P Sudhir | 3rd Position | S.Varanya |
| Category Under 14 Boys | Category Under 14 Girls | ||
| 1st Position | Galav Saha | 1st Position | Chittiboina Mageswari |
| 2nd Position | B Lalith | 2nd Position | J Keerthana |
| 3rd Position | ACM S P M Darshan | 3rd Position | K.Anushka |
| Best Youngest boy (K.P.TAVISH) | Best Youngest Girl (S DEETTYA) | ||
| Best Veteran ( Ratan Sarkar) | Best Women ( M Asha) | ||
| Best ITI Player (SURAJ) | |||
