Jyotika Sahoo (Cuttack) and Aryan Behera (Jajpur) won the titles in girls and open category respectively in the Odisha State U-11 Chess Championships, which was organised by District Chess Association Puri (DCAP), under the auspices of All Odisha Chess Association at Brundabati Niwas, Grand Road, Puri on 16 and 17 September 2023.

Ishani Das (Khordha) and Swastik Suvam Patnaik (Cuttack) finished runners-up. Top two finishers in each category qualified to represent Odisha in the 36th National U-11 Open & Girls Chess Championship, to be held at the Swarna Bharathi Indoor Stadium in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, from 1 to 8 October 2023.

A total of 93 players, including 33 girls, from 15 districts and institutions participated in the seven-round State championships, which carried a total prize fund of Rs 20,020.

Puri MLA Jayanta Kumar Sarangi was the chief guest of the prize distribution ceremony. DCAP Secretary Pradyumna Mishra and tournament director Suresh Chandra Sahoo were present on the occasion.

FINAL PLACINGS (Top 10):

OPEN CATEGORY: 1. Aryan Behera, Jajpur (7 points), 2. Swastik Suvam Patnaik, Cuttack (6), 3. Sattwik Swain, Khordha (6), 4. Vineet Nayak, Khordha (5.5), 5. Manish Mishra, Jajpur (5), 6. Sarthak Mohanty, Khordha (5), 7. Aditya Jena, Khordha (5), 8. Jayaditya Padhy, Cuttack (5), 9. Suryansu Mohakud, Khordha (5), 10. Arnav Pattnaik, Khordha (5).

GIRLS CATEGORY: 1. Jyotika Sahoo, Cuttack (7 points), 2. Ishani Das, Khordha (5.5), 3. E Ragini, Cuttack (5.5), 4. Nainika Sahoo, Khordha (5), 5. E Divya, Cuttack (5), 6. Moukthika Nayak, Jagatsinghpur (4.5), 7. Aarshiya Sahoo, Khordha (4.5), 8. Harshita Singh, Cuttack (4.5), 9. Arnica Dash, Khordha (4), 10. Tanvi Mishra, Dhenkanal (4).
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PHOTO: Title winners, runners-up, guests and tournament officials at the prize distribution ceremony of the Odisha State U-11 Championships in Puri on 17 September 2023.