All the position holders of Bihar State Under-17 Open and Girls' FIDE Rating Chess Championship in Sitamarhi. Photo: ABCA
By A Correspondent
Patna: The Bihar State Under-17 Open and Girls’ FIDE Rating Chess Championship, organised by the Sitamarhi District Chess Association under the aegis of the All Bihar Chess Association, concluded on Wednesday. Darbhanga’s Jayesh Mishra clinched the Open title, while Praneet Sinha of Muzaffarpur finished runner-up. In the Girls’ category, Arpita Singh of Bhojpur emerged champion with 7.5 points, while Navya Goenka of Muzaffarpur secured the runners-up spot with seven points.
In the ninth and final round, the top-board encounter between Jayesh Mishra and Aditya Kumar featured the Pirc Defence. Both players exchanged all their major pieces within the first 21 moves and continued with a pawn endgame for another 20 moves. With neither side able to make progress, the game was agreed drawn.
On Board Two, Praneet Sinha defeated Prem Kumar in an exciting English Opening. After a series of rapid exchanges, Praneet gained a decisive advantage in the endgame by successfully advancing a pawn towards promotion, prompting Prem to resign.
Meanwhile, the Board Three clash between Muzaffarpur’s Tejas Shandilya and Aryan Kumar of Khagaria, played in the Queen’s Pawn Opening, Krause Variation, ended in a draw after a marathon 92-move contest.
In the Girls’ section, Arpita Singh, who had led the standings throughout the tournament, secured the title by drawing her final-round game against Moon of Katihar. Playing with the black pieces in the Sicilian Defence, Arpita agreed a draw after 27 moves to finish on 7.5 points.
The runners-up trophy went to Muzaffarpur’s Navya Goenka, who defeated Dhanvi Karmakar of Kishanganj in 32 moves in a Closed Sicilian game. On Board Three, Ishika of Begusarai defeated Sanvi of Patna to finish third in the tournament.
The prize distribution ceremony was attended by chief guest Dr Sanjay Kumar Verma, a noted physician from Sitamarhi. The winners received cash prizes, trophies and certificates from the chief guest and special guests Hemendra Kumar Yadav, Principal of Sitamarhi Central School, and Chanda Sinha, Principal of Helen School, Sitamarhi.
Also present were Sitamarhi District Chess Association president Aniket Suman, secretary Vijay Kumar, chief arbiter Manish Kumar, deputy chief arbiter Shashinand Kumar, international arbiters Nand Kishore and Alok Priyadarshi, arbiter Meena Yadav, Shubham Kumar, and several other dignitaries.
Top 10 – Open Category
| Position | Player | District | Points |
| ——– | —————- | ————– | —–: |
| 1 | Jayesh Mishra | Darbhanga | 7.5 |
| 2 | Praneet Sinha | Muzaffarpur | 7 |
| 3 | Aryan Kumar | Khagaria | 6.5 |
| 4 | Ishan Satwat | Patna | 6.5 |
| 5 | Anubhav Mishra | Madhubani | 6.5 |
| 6 | Tejas Shandilya | Muzaffarpur | 6.5 |
| 7 | Aditya Kumar | Khagaria | 6.5 |
| 8 | Prem Kumar | Chhapra | 6 |
| 9 | Shivansh Barnwal | West Champaran | 6 |
| 10 | Parthwah | Muzaffarpur | 6 |
Top 10 – Girls’ Category
| Position | Player | District | Points |
| ——– | —————— | ———– | —–: |
| 1 | Arpita Singh | Bhojpur | 7.5 |
| 2 | Navya Goenka | Muzaffarpur | 7 |
| 3 | Ishika | Begusarai | 6.5 |
| 4 | Disha Kumari | Muzaffarpur | 6 |
| 5 | Shalini Srivastava | Patna | 5.5 |
| 6 | Moon | Katihar | 5.5 |
| 7 | Aradhya Prakash | Patna | 5 |
| 8 | Aarohi Sagar | Patna | 5 |
| 9 | Jayshree Prabha | Kishanganj | 5 |
| 10 | Dhanvi Karmakar | Kishanganj | 4.5 |
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