Lalit Ranjan Sahu (Cuttack) and Aryan Behera (Jajpur) won the rapid and blitz titles respectively in the Odisha State Open Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship, which was jointly organized by SR Chess Centre and SB1 Group of Companies, in collaboration with the All Odisha Chess Association (AOCA) at Mothers Public School, Pahal, Bhubaneswar on 15 and 16 August 2026.

The two-day championship carried a total prize fund of Rs 1.2 lakh. Rapid champion and runner-up received Rs 20,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively. Title winner and runner-up in the blitz event were given Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. Entry fee was Rs 700 for rapid and Rs 500 for blitz. Combined entry fee was Rs 990.

A total of 615 players (rapid 340, blitz 275) participated. Top two finishers in both rapid and blitz categories qualified to represent Odisha in the National Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship, scheduled to be held in Tamil Nadu from 12 to 14 December 2026.

Sports journalist Bimal Kumar Roul inaugurated the tournament, while Odisha Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan handed over the trophies and prizes at the closing ceremony. BJP State Executive member Jagannath Pradhan, SRB & Associates partner Rajiv Shekhar Sahu, SB1 Group chairperson Baijayanti Sahu, Mothers Public School chairperson Polly Patnaik, AOCA president Satya Ranjan Patnaik and SR Chess Centre president Subhasish Patnaik were present on the occasion.

RAPID FINAL STANDINGS (Top 10): 1. Lalit Ranjan Sahu (Cuttack, 8 pts), 2. Rajendra Kumar Sahu (Khordha, 8), 3. Pratyasha Jena (Cuttack, 8), 4. Barik Jagdish (Puri, 8), 5. Sanjeeban Nayak (Jajpur, 7.5), 6. Swastik Suvam Patnaik (Cuttack, 7.5), 7. Manish Mishra (Khordha, 7.5), 8. Aryan Behera (Jajpur, 7.5), 9. Sattwik Swain (Khordha, 7), 10. Tapan Badamundi (Gajapati, 7).

BLITZ FINAL STANDINGS (Top 10): 1. Aryan Behera (Jajpur, 8 pts), 2. Bishal Pattnaik (Dhenkanal, 8), 3. Sattwik Swain (Khordha, 8), 4. Ayush Aryan Mohapatra (Kendrapara, 8), 5. Shreyash Shuvam Patnaik (Cuttack, 7.5), 6. Satyam Sarbajit Mishra (Khordha, 7.5), 7. Aadarsh Kumar Beriha (Khordha, 7.5), 8. Tapan Badamundi (Gajapati, 7), 9. Swastik Suvam Patnaik (Cuttack, 7), 10. Manish Mishra (Khordha, 7).
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PHOTO: Prize winners, guests and officials pose at the presentation ceremony of the Odisha State Open Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in Pahala, Bhubaneswar on 16 August 2026.