Rajesh Nayak of Puri retained the title in the Odisha State Senior Fide Rating Open Chess Championship, the 59th edition of which was held at Boudh Indoor Stadium in Boudh from October 26 to 30, 2018. He garnered eight points out of a possible nine to take the top prize of Rs 8,000.

Baivab Mishra (Puri) finished runner-up for the second successive year, also with eight points. He received a cash prize of Rs 5,000. The third and fourth positions were claimed by Woman Fide Master Rutumbara Bidhar (Bhubaneswar) and Smaraki Mohanty (Kendrapara) with 7.5 and seven points respectively.

The championship was organised by Boudh District Chess Association (BDCA), under the aegis of All Odisha Chess Association (AOCA). As many as 119 players participated in the event, which carried a total prize fund of Rs 50,000.

Odisha Assembly Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat handed over the trophy and prizes in the closing ceremony. Boudh Collector Sitanshu Rout, DRDA Project Director Rajendra Patnaik, AOCA vice-president Ranjan Mohanty and BDCA secretary Shankar Prasad Mishra were present on the occasion.

The top four finishers of the state championship qualified to represent Odisha in the Senior National Open Chess Championship, scheduled to be held at Jammu from December 8 to 18, 2018.

FINAL PLACINGS (Top 10): 1. Rajesh Nayak (Puri, 8), 2. Biavab Mishra (Puri, 8), 3. WFM Rutumbara Bidhar (Bhubaneswar, 7.5), 4. Smaraki Mohanty (Kendrapara, 7), 5. Rakesh Kumar Nayak (Bhubaneswar, 6.5), 6. Rabindra Kumar Ojha (Cuttack, 6.5), 7. Manindra Karjee (KISS, 6.5), 8. Manoj Kumar Panigrahi (Postal, 6.5), 9. Bishal Pattnaik (Dhenkanal, 6.5), 10. Tapan Badamundi (KISS, 6.5).
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PHOTO: Top four prize winners (L to R) Smaraki Mohanty, Rutumbara Bidhar, Baivab Mishra and Rajesh Nayak with guests and tournament officials in Boudh on Oct 30, 2018.