Jamshedpur, Dec 18: The third day of the National Chess Championship at Wave International witnessed intense competition, shifting leaderboards, and a strong focus on players’ mental well-being. With every round, the matches grew tougher, as top-board games tested the players’ strategy, patience, and time management skills.
The day’s proceedings were graced by Jyoti Bala, Managing Director of Surdib Natural Products, who attended as a special guest. She interacted with the young chess players, encouraged them, wished them success, and formally inaugurated the day’s play by making the opening move. Popular radio host RJ Manoj from Radio City was also present and added enthusiasm to the event.
In Round 2, played on December 17, 2025, experienced players made their mark in the boys’ category, with IM Ethan Vaz and IM Mayank Chakraborty registering important victories. A closely contested match between Vignesh Advait Vemula and Arul Anand S.P.K. ended in a hard-fought draw. In the girls’ category, WFM Shubhi Gupta of Uttar Pradesh, WFM Sachi Jain of Delhi, and WCM Pratiti Bordoloi of Karnataka recorded impressive wins, further intensifying the competition.
The fourth round was jointly inaugurated by Ritesh Singh, Managing Director of Wave International, along with tournament patrons N.K. Singh, Suraj Bhadani, and Binod Singh. One of the highlights of the day was the top-board draw in the boys’ section between IM Ethan Vaz of Goa and CM Adhik Theophan Lenin of Kerala. Another major talking point was Dishank Sachin Bajaj of Maharashtra defeating FM Sharnarthi Viresh on the third board, a surprising result that caused a notable reshuffle in the points table.
In the girls’ category, victories by WFM Shubhi Gupta, WCM Shravyashree Bhimarasetti, and WFM Yash Jyoti Bir kept the title race wide open.
Apart from competitive play, the organisers also focused on mental wellness. Rajni Bhadani of the Fitness Nutrition Club conducted a special mental health and wellness session for players and parents, highlighting stress management, concentration techniques, and the importance of balanced nutrition during long tournaments.
