Orissa International Master Debashis Das emerged runner-up in the open category of the 21st National Under-17 Chess Championship, which concluded at Jammu earlier today. He secured nine points with seven wins and four draws.

Karnataka’s GA Stany (9 points) won the title, pipping Debashis via Buchholz tie-break method. Among other Orissa players in the open category, Mohammad Ashraf (7), Ansuman Samal (6.5) and Soumya Ranjan Das (5.5) occupied 12th, 25th and 39th position respectively.

In the girls’ category, Aparajita Gochhikar, the lone competitor from Orissa, finished seventh with seven points, while Tamil Nadu’s A Akshaya emerged champion with 9.5 points.