Abhishek is Mangalore Open Chess champ

DHNS

Mangalore, 24 July 2011: Abhishek Das of South West Railways won the 5th Mangalore International Open FIDE rated Chess Tournament.

 

The 24-year-old commerce graduate from Ranchi was awarded a trophy and Rs 1,11,111 prize money by Indian Overseas Bank CMD M Narendra, the chief guest of valedictory celebrations.

 

Abhishek Das, hails from Jharkand had won nine out of eleven rounds in the tourney with nine and half points. Suvrajit Saha (West Bengal), Thejkumar M S (South West Railways) and Shyam Nikil P (Tamil Nadu) shared the second place with nine points each. They will get prize money of Rs 43,334 each.

 

“It is a great feeling. This is one of the toughest tournaments I have ever played,” said Abhishek Das. He lost only one game in his 11 rounds. The tourney favorites Grand Masters were disappointed with their performance. GM Praveen Tipsay topped among the GMs on 20th position with 8 points while top seeded R R Laxman finished at 26th position.

 

Earlier, physically challenged Shailesh Nerlikar and four challenged kids, who won medals in Special Olympics in Athens, were felicitated by the South Kanara District Chess Association (SKDCA). Dhanya S Rao, Royston Pinto, Pramila Pinto and Anil Mendonca were felicitated by Karnataka Assembly Deputy Speaker Yogish Bhat and other dignitaries.

 

Yogish Bhat in his speech congratulated SKDCA for organising the tournament successfully.

 

City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, Zilla Panchayath President K T Shailaja Bhat, Sharavu Sri Mahaganapathy Temple Managing Trustee Raghavendra Shastry, Raghunath Somayaji, Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudeva, United Karnataka Chess Association President Professor M B Puranik, Secretary V Raghavendra, SKDCA President M S Gururaj were present.