Anwesh champion, Swayams runner-up in u-17 chess National

Orissa experienced a double delight with Anwesh Upadhyaya and Swayams Mishra emerging champion and runner-up respectively in the open category of the 20th National Under-17 Chess Championship, which concluded at Chakradharpur in Jharkhand today. The duo tied for the top spot with nine points each from 11 rounds. But Anwesh pipped his statemate in the tie-breaker (Buccholz System) to take the title and the top prize of Rs 13,000. In the last round, Bhubaneswar teenager Anwesh was held to a draw by CH Mehar Chinna Reddy, while Cuttack boy Swayams beat K Priyadarshan. Biswajit Nayak, the third Orissa boy in category, finished 13th with 6.5 points. In the girls’ category, Orissa players Aparajita Gochhikar (6.5), Sunyasakta Satpathy (6.5) and Smaraki Mohanty (5) finished 12th, 14th and 30th respectively. J Saranya (TN) and Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa) emerged champion and runner-up with 10 and nine points respectively. Orissa results (Round 11): Boys: Anwesh Upadhyaya (9) drew with CH Mehar Chinna Reddy (AP), Swayams Mishra (9) beat K Priyadarshan (TN), Biswajeet Nayak (6.5) drew with Rakesh Kulkarni (Mah). Girls: Aparajita Gochhikar (6.5) beat Sonia Deshmukh (Mah), Sunyasakta Satpathy (6.5) lost to Bhakti Kulkarni (Goa), Smaraki Mohanty (5) lost to Riya Savant (Goa). PHOTO: National under-17 chess champion Anwesh Upadhyaya (left) and runner-up Swayams Mishra.