Cuttack boy Mohammad Ashraf (Cuttack) and Puri girl Aparajita Gochhikar won the titles in the Orissa State Under-17 Chess Championship, which concluded at St Xavier`s High School, Dhenkanal today. Ashraf garnered 7.5 points from eight rounds, while Aparajita collected 4.5 points from five rounds.

Altogether 132 players, including 23 girls took part in the three-day championship, which was hosted by  Dhenkanal District Chess Association, under the auspices of Orissa Chess Adhoc Committee. Top two finishers from each group qualified to represent Orissa in the National U-17 Championship, scheduled to be held at Jammu from November 3 to 11.

FINAL STANDINGS (Top 10):

BOYS: 1. Mohammad Ashraf (7.5), 2. Rakesh Kumar Nayak (7), 3. Soumya Ranjan Das (6.5), 4. Anshuman Samal (6.5), 5. Ashutosh Mohanty (6), 6. Rajat Sahoo (6), 7. Rajesh Nayak (6), 8. Sambat Subhankar Ray (6), 9. Baivab Mishra (6). 10. Saswat Khuntia (6).

GIRLS: 1. Aparajita Gochhikar (4.5), 2. Krushna Mishra (4.5), 3. Srijita Khuntia (4), 4. Akankhya Nayak (4), 5. Tanuja Sahoo (3.5), 6. Sudipa Sahoo (3.5), 7. Srimantini Sasani (3). 8. Payal Priti Panda (3), 9. Subhashree Indira Priyadarshini (3). 10. Amrita Ananya (3).