P M Mohanty takes OSCA State open title

Pabitra Mohan Mohanty justified his reputation at two-time National `B` champion by winning the title in the OSCA State Open Chess Championship at Secretariat Recreation Club in Bhubaneswar today. The Rourkela-based veteran topped the table with 8.5 points from nine rounds. Local campaigners Rajendra Kumar Sahu and Fide Master Soumya Ranjan Mishra finished second and third respectively, scoring 7.5 points each. Income Tax Commissioner Jayant Kumar Hota, Bhubaneswar Central MLA Bijoy Kumar Mohanty, State Sports Director Dr P K Pradhan and BPUT Director Dr P K Mohanty gave away the prizes at the closing ceremony. Final standings (Top 20): 1. P K Mohanty (8.5), 2nd & 3rd R K Sahu, S R Mishra (each 7.5), 4th to 11th. Biswajeet Nayak, Khitindra Prateem Dalai, Rabindra Kumar Ojha, Rajesh Kumar Nayak, Ashutosh Mohapatra, Dasarathi Sahoo, Sushanta Saranti (each 7), 12th to 17th Govind Chandra Mohapatra, Rakesh Kumar Nayak, Sanjay Moharana, Sankalp Baliarsingh, Gopal Chandra Mohapatra, Manoj Kumar Tripathy (each 6.5), 18th to 20th Baivab Mishra, Aparajita Gochhikar, Subasis Barik (each 6). PHOTO: Top three finishers (L to R) P M Mohanty, R K Sahu and S R Mishra at the OSCA State Open Chess Championship in Bhubaneswar on Nov 29, 2009.