Shriyansh Dey and Pratyasha Jena clinched a double crown for Cuttack, winning titles in open and girls category respectively in the Odisha State Under-13 Chess Championship, which concluded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack today.

In the eight-round championship, Shriyansh and Pratyasha mustered 7.5 points each with seven wins and one draw. Both received the winners trophies and a bicycle each. Puri duo Ayushman Mohanty and Shreesti Shreyasi finished runner-up in open and girls categories respectively.

Both Ayushman and Shreesti were given cash prizes of Rs 5000 each. Kendrapara boy Ayush Aryan Mohapatra and Cuttack girl Sandeepa Priyadarshini Sahoo claimed the third prize of Rs 4,000 each.

A total of 284 players, including 78 girls participated in the three-day championship, which was orhganised by Triple C Chess Club, under the aegis of All Odisha Chess Association and in the memory of Kamala Kanta Bisoi.

All India Chess Federation Joint-Secretary Ranjan Mohanty and former Choudwar MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal graced the opening and closing ceremony as chief guest respectively.

Triple-C Chess Club president Biswajit Ray, Vice-President Biranchi Narayan Sahoo, Secretary Arghya Arpan Parida and Chief Arbiter Nihar Ranjan Sasmal were present on the occasions.

The top two finishers in both open and girls categories became eligible to represent Odisha in the forthcoming National Under-13 Chess Championships, scheduled to be held in Telangana from 28 November to 6 December 2023.

FINAL RANKINGS (Top 10):

OPEN CATEGORY: 1. Shriyansh Dey, Cuttack (7.5), 2. Ayushman Mohanty, Puri (7), 3.  Ayush Aryan Mohapatra, Kendrapara (6.5), 4. Shrihan Sabat, Ganjam (6.5), 5. Pratyush Nayak, Cuttack (6.5), 6. Aditya Vikram Mishra, Khordha (6.5), 7. Tanmay Talin Behera, Khordha (6.5), 8. Gyanajyoti Singh, Cuttack (6.5), 9. Jayaditya Padhy, Cuttack (6), 10. Biswa Preet Ray, Cuttack (6).

GIRLS CATEGORY: 1. Pratyasha Jena, Cuttack (7.5), 2. Shreesti Shreyasi, Puri (7), 3. Sandeepa Priyadarshini Sahoo, Cuttack (6.5), 4. Ishani Das, Khordha (6.5), 5. Pritisha Mitra, Puri (6), 6. Shradha Smaranika Nanda, Cuttack (6), 7. Jyotika Sahoo, Cuttack (6), 8. Moukthika Nayak, Khordha (6), 9. Ayushi Mohanty, Puri (6), 10. E Ragini, Cuttack (5.5).
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PHOTO: Top three prize winners with guests and tournament organizers at the prize distribution ceremony in Cuttack on 5 June 2023.