Jamshedpur, Dec 20: As the National Junior Chess Championship moves closer to its decisive stages, the competition has intensified with exciting and high-quality games in both boys’ and girls’ categories. The seventh round, played on Saturday, featured strong strategic battles among top-seeded players. The championship was formally inaugurated by Shakti Prasad Senapati, Chief Operating Officer of Ramkrishna Forgings Limited, who urged the players to compete with discipline, patience, and sportsmanship.
Boys’ Category: International Masters Shine
International Masters dominated the seventh round in the boys’ section. International Master Ethan Vaz of Goa continued his impressive run by defeating International Master Mayank Chakraborty of Assam. Playing with the white pieces, Ethan maintained control in a closely fought game and used accurate endgame calculations to secure victory, taking his total to 6.5 points and retaining the top position.
International Master Mohammed Imran of Andhra Pradesh also registered a convincing win against Soham Roy of West Bengal. His aggressive approach helped him reach 6 points and stay firmly in contention for the title. Meanwhile, FIDE Master Arnav Maheshwari of Tamil Nadu defeated FIDE Master Jayveer Mahendru of Maharashtra while playing with the black pieces. Arnav’s victory took him to 6 points and strengthened his chances of finishing on the podium.
After seven rounds, Ethan Vaz leads with 6.5 points, followed by Mayank Chakraborty with 6 points, while Arnav Agarwal of Uttar Pradesh holds third place.
Girls’ Category: Close Battles and Key Wins
The girls’ section witnessed several balanced encounters, with many top-board matches ending in draws. The top-board clash between Uttar Pradesh’s Woman FIDE Master Shubhi Gupta and West Bengal’s Mrittika Mallick ended in a draw, allowing Shubhi to maintain her lead with 6.5 points.
Delhi’s Woman FIDE Master Sachi Jain scored an important win against Telangana’s Sharanya Gade to reach 6 points and move into the top three. Another closely contested game between Sarvyashi Bheemarasetti of Andhra Pradesh and Narahari Geetika Hasini of Telangana ended in a draw.
Shubhi Gupta leads the girls’ standings, followed by Mrittika Mallick and Sachi Jain. With a few rounds remaining, the championship is poised for an exciting finish.
