Experienced campaigner, Manas Ranjan Parida justified his top billing by emerging champion in the 20th Makhanlal Halder Memorial All-Odisha Open Chess Tournament at Durgabadi Samiti here today.

Parida, who suffered an upset earlier in the fourth round, won the last five games to finish at the top of the table with eight points. He received the top prize of Rs 5,000.

Second seed Bira Kishore Behera, who also garnered eight points, settled as runner-up after being piped by Parida on Butchholz tie-break score.

Sri Jagannath Sanskrit Viswavidyalaya vice-chancellor Prof Dr Gangadhar Panda handed over the prizes at the closing function. Host Puri District Chess Association president Kumar Halder, secretary Bimal Prasad Mohanty and chief arbiter Debasis Panigrahi were present on the occasion.

FINAL STANDINGS (Top 20): 1. Manas Ranjan Parida (8), 2. Bira Kishore Behera (8), 3. P Ojha (7.5), 4. Sanjeeban Nayak (7), 5. Aditya Pattnaik (7), 6. D Das (7), 7. DSP Rao (7), 8. Tukuna Kandi (7), 9. Guru Prasad Bhatta (7), 10. Ashok Kumar (7), 11. Akhila Majhi (7), 12. Pradipta Mishra (6.5), 13. Santosh Sinha (6.5), 14. Chinmay Behera (6.5), 15. Sahadeb Khatei (6.5), 16. Ayushman Pattnaik (6.5), 17. Preetam Mishra (6.5), 18. Biswa Ranjan Mohanty (6), 19. Nabaghana Baral (6), 20. Natabara Das (6).