Bihar State Under-17 FIDE Rating Chess Championship has started in Sitamarhi on July 25, 2026. Photo: ABCA
By A Correspondent
Patna: The five-day Bihar State Under-17 Open and Girls’ FIDE Rating Chess Championship 2026, being organised by the Sitamarhi District Chess Association under the aegis of the All Bihar Chess Association (ABCA), was formally inaugurated on Saturday.
The state-level championship is being held in two categories – Open and Girls – and has drawn several talented and FIDE-rated young players from districts across Bihar. The participants are competing for the state titles as well as the opportunity to represent Bihar at the national level.
The Open category features 35 rated players, while 14 rated players are competing in the Girls’ section. The championship was inaugurated by noted Sitamarhi social worker Rakhi Singh and Aniket Suman, President of the Sitamarhi District Chess Association. Among those present were All Bihar Chess Association Joint Secretaries Nand Kishore and Shashinand Kumar, Chief Arbiter Manish Kumar, International Arbiter Alok Priyadarshi, and several other dignitaries. Organising Secretary Vijay Kumar welcomed the guests.
Following the conclusion of the opening round, leading contenders including Jayesh, Prem, Praneet, Arpita, Navya and Shalini registered victories in their respective matches. With both championships being contested over nine rounds and featuring a strong field of rated players, the competition is expected to be closely fought throughout.
In the Girls’ section, Disha Kumari of Muzaffarpur defeated Dhanvi Karmakar of Kishanganj with the black pieces on the top board to take an early lead. Despite being rated more than 100 points lower than her opponent, Disha’s impressive victory has added further excitement to the championship.
Players from Patna, Darbhanga, Kishanganj, Muzaffarpur, Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Chhapra, Katihar, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Saharsa, Gaya, Jamui, Supaul, Begusarai, Gopalganj and West Champaran, among other districts, are participating in the tournament. Bihar’s team for the forthcoming National Under-17 Chess Championship will be selected based on the players’ performances in this event.
About the Author
