Indian kids too fast and too furious at Asian Youth 2019 Rapid and Blitz

by Shahid Ahmed - 03/04/2019

India made a fantastic start at Asian Youth 2019 in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka. On day 1, in the Rapid event, India won ten medals including 2 Gold, 5 Silver and 3 Bronze. On day 2, in the Blitz event, India won nine medals including 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze. India is the second biggest contingent in this event with 75 players after the home country Sri Lanka. In the Rapid section, India won the maximum number of medals ten, among all other nations and in Blitz, India also won the highest number of medals along with Vietnam, nine each. The round 1 of the standard format of the game was pawned off today. In this pictorial report, we bring you the information about all medal winners. Photo: ChessBase India archives

India makes a strong start at Asian Youth 2019 with 19 medals

Team India makes a brilliant start at Asian Youth 2019 | Photo: ChessBase India archives

The Indian contingent has won a total of 3 Gold, 8 Silver and 8 Bronze in Asian Youth 2019 Rapid and Blitz events in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka.

Gold medal winners:

WCM Jyothsna L has been the most successful among Indian players. She scored 6.5/7 in Blitz to win Gold and 5.5/7 in Rapid to win Silver medal in under-18 girls category. She won Gold medal in Commonwealth 2018 in under-14 girls category. Jyothsna is also the reigning Tamil Nadu State Sub-Junior, Junior and under-17 girls champion.

Jyothsna L made a fantastic start at Asian Youth 2019 | Photo: Niki Riga

7-year old Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi of Andhra Pradesh scored 6.0/7 to clinch the Gold medal in the Rapid format in under-8 girls category. She is the current Asian Schools under-7 Gold medalist and State under-7 champion. Meenakshi was also the runner-up in National under 7 girls 2018.

Kolagatala Alana Meenakshi is no stranger to the big leagues. She won Gold in Asian Schools under-7 last year and this time in Asian Youth under-8 girls | Photo: West Godavari District Chess Association

CM Shahil Dey of Assam made his present felt by scoring six straight victories in the Rapid format. He finished with 6.5/7 and won the Gold emphatically in under-12 open category. Shahil is the current Asian Schools Champions in under-11 category.

CM Shahil Dey delivered a Gold standard performance | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Silver medal winners:

FM Mitrabha Guha was fighting for the Gold medal in the last round in under-18 open Rapid. However, a loss against FM Abdimalik Abdisalimov of Uzbekistan made him settle for a Bronze medal for the second consecutive year. Mitrabha being a strong player in the faster format, regrouped and made his comeback in the Blitz format by scoring 5.5/7 and secured a Silver medal. He won the Gold in Blitz last year's Asian Youth under-18 open.

FM Mitrabha Guha spoke with ChessBase India after winning 28th The Telegraph Schools' 2018 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

9-year old Daakshin Arun of Tamil Nadu tasted his maiden success in the international fray when he scored 6.0/7 in the Rapid format in under-10 open category and won the Silver medal. His only loss was against the eventual winner of the tournament CM Pham Tran Gia Phuc of Vietnam in round 4.

Daakshin Arun has certainly announced his arrival in the international scene with his emphatic performance | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

K Ratna Priya of Tamil Nadu scored 6.0/7 in Rapid in under-12 girls category to win the Silver medal. She missed a medal at the Commonwealth 2018 by a whisker. Ratna is the reigning Tamil Nadu State under-11 girls Champion. Just like Daakshin, this was also her first success at the international fray.

Ratna Priya at Commonwealth 2018 | Photo: Ratna Priya's father Kumaravel Sundaraman

Sankalp Gupta scored 5.5/7 in the Rapid format of under-16 open category to secure the Silver medal. His only loss was against the eventual champion in his category FM Nogerbek Kazybek. Last year Sankalp won Bronze in the Standard format in Asian Youth 2018.

Did you know Sankalp Gupta is Maharashtra's youngest player ever to secure an IM norm? | Photo: Swati Biswas

FM Krishnater Kushager scored 5.0/7 in the Rapid format of under-18 open category to win the Silver medal. Last year he drew with World Class GM Anish Giri of Netherlands in a simultaneous exhibition match.

Until the Silver medal winning performance at Asian Youth 2019, drawing with Anish Giri was Kushager's biggest highlight

Ilamparthi A R of Tamil Nadu scored 6.0/7 and won the Silver medal in the Blitz format in under-10 open category. His only loss was against the eventual winner in his category CM Begmuratov Khumoyun of Uzbekistan. He is the current National under-9 open and Tamil Nadu State under-9 open champion.

Ilamparthi was once the highest rated under-9 in the world, now he is the third highest. He also scored ten straight victories and became National under-9 open champion in 2018 with a round to spare | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Priyanka K of Tamil Nadu scored 5.5/7 in the Blitz format in under-18 girls category and won the Silver medal. She is the reigning National under-17 girls champion and Commonwealth under-18 girls Silver medalist.

Priyanka K had won the MKG HelpChess scholarship last year

Bronze medal winners:

Lakshana Subramanian of Tamil Nadu scored 5.5/7 to secure the Bronze medal in the Rapid format. She is the reigning World under-7 girls schools, National under-7 girls and National School under-7 girls champion.

Lakshana's first major success in the international scene was winning World under-7 girls schools

Arushi Srichandan of Odisha scored 5.5/7 in the Rapid format of under-10 girls section to earn a Bronze medal. She is the current Odisha State under-11 girls champion.

Arushi with her Bronze medals in Asian Schools last year | Photo: Kalingatv

Adireddy Arjun of Telangana scored 6.0/7 in the Blitz format to grab the Bronze medal in under-10 open section. His only loss was against his compatriot and eventual runner-up in his category, Ilamparthi A R.

Arjun Adireddy won Gold in Rapid and Bronze in Standard in last year's Asian Youth 2018. He also won a Bronze in Commonwealth 2018 | Photo: ChessBase India archives

Sahib Singh of Delhi scored 5.5/7 and won a Bronze medal in the Blitz format in under-12 open category. His only loss was against the eventual runner-up in his category CM Hoang Minh Hieu of Vietnam.

AIM Sahib Singh's first major breakthrough came in this tournament | Photo: ChessBase India archives

Anupam Sreekumar of Kerala finished with 5.5/7 to win the Bronze medal in under-12 girls in Blitz format. She is also the current Commonwealth under-10 girls Gold medalist and Kerala State under-13 girls champion.

Anupam Sreekumar en route her victory in Commonwealth 2018 | Photo: ChessBase India archives

Aditya Varun Gampa of Telangana scored 6.0/7 to secure a Bronze in under-14 open category in Blitz. He is also the current Telangana State under-13 open champion.

Aditya's school Oakwood International School wished him before his tournament started in facebook. All young players can do a lot more when they receive support from their school

FM Om Kharola scored 5.0/7 to secure his Bronze in under-18 open category in the Blitz format. Om is the current Maharashtra State Blitz champion.

Om Kharola won his first medal in Asian Youth | Photo: ChessBase India archives

Team medals:

WFM Bommini Mounika Akshaya, WCM Nityata Jain and WFM Lakshmi C won Team Gold in under-16 girls Blitz | Photo: Nityata Jain

Complete standings in Rapid of all Indian players

Complete standings in Blitz of all players: u-8 open, u-8 girls, u-10 open, u-10 girls, u-12 open, u-12 girls, u-14 open, u-14 girls, u-16 open, u-16 girls, u-18 open and u-18 girls.

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