PANAJI (Goa): Top seed Swera Braganca, (ELO rating 1642) emerged winner at the Late Shripad Vishnu Kamat Tarcar Memorial Sate Women’s Chess Championship 2017.  At the end of round seven which concluded on Sunday at Media Centre, Athletics stadium, Bambolim, Women candidate Master Swera emerged victorious, tallying 7 points and winning all her matches to lift the winner’s trophy. Gauri Hadkonkar (5 ½ Points) was the runner-up while WCM Gunjal Chopdekar (5 ½ Points) came third in a close finish which had to be settled by the Buchholz tie-breaker method. Sayuri Naik, Snehal Naik, Tanvi Hadkonkar, Alaina Pereira and Netra Savikar, all with 5 points each, had to settle for the 4th to 8th places respectively while the 9th and 10th place prizes were won by Riddhi Zantye and Faiziya Khan, who scored 4 ½ points each.

The championship was organised under the aegis / collaboration of Tiswadi Taluka Chess Association, Goa Chess Association and the Sports Authority of Goa.

The players who stood top five in this tournament will participate at the Women’s National Challengers to be held in Karnataka in July 2017.

Outstanding Category prizes were won by Maizah Sayyed (U-7), Keya Phadte (U-9), Sainee F Dessai (U-11), Sarah Fernandes (U-13), Anannya Pandey (U-15) and Dr Pradnya Kakodkar (Women).  Sanjeev Dalvi, Director of Health Services was the chief guest for the prize distribution function.  Arvind Mhamal (Chief Arbiter),  Tiswadi Taluka Association members D R Pinge and  Tanay Kaisare, and Tournament Directors Chaitanya Tarcar and Sandeep Heble graced the occasion.

Team TNV