MSSA inter-school chess tournament: Aashrita battles hard to clinch U-16 crown

Girls under-8 champion Emily Das (left) and under-10 boys winner Shikhar Nanavati; (right) MSSA girls U-16 champ Aashrita Guttula. Pics/Ashish Raje

Aashrita Guttula of Green Acres Academy (Chembur) and Emily Das of Navy Children School (Colaba) emerged champions in the girls U-16 and U-8 categories respectively at the Mumbai School Sports Association inter-school chess tournament at St Sebastian School, Chembur, on Friday.

Shikhar Nanavati of Rustomjee Cambridge International School (Dahisar) clinched the boys U-10 title.

In the last game of the best-of-six-round U-16 final, Aashrita was leading the group by half a point and needed a draw to clinch the title. However, her opponent Saina Nagarkatte required a win to make it to the Top 3. Aashrita began aggressively, using the Grand Prix Attack, but Saina's Sicilian Defense ensured the match was well contested. A draw was eventually offered and Saina had no choice, but to accept it after realising that playing in the position she was, could have made things worse. Anaishaa Nahar of Pawar Public School (Kandivli) took the third spot.

In the girls U-8 section, Chaitanyaa Nagrale of JB Vachha (Dadar) was second and Tanishka Bhandari of SVKM JV Parekh (Vile Parle) was third. In the boys U-10 category, Agastya Patwa of Vibgyor Rise (Malad) was second and Aiden Lasrado of LR & SM Vissanji Academy stood third.