National Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2019 concluded at Lovely Professional University (LPU) Campus, where Grandmaster Arvindh Chithambram of Tamil Nadu won both Rapid & Blitz tournaments of National Open Chess Championship- 2019. Overwhelmed and confident on the wins, resident of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, a 19-year-old student of BA in Tamil, Arvindh advised young men and women to adopt chess game for the overall development of their personality, as it needs patience, concentration, perfection, perseverance, and wholesome involvement. These are the characteristics which are the most required of youth today.
After winner incredible chess personality Arvindh; GM Visakh NR with 9 points, GM Laxman RR with 8, FM Mehar Chinna Reddy CH with 8, and IM Swayams Mishra also with 8 points remained at second, third, fourth and fifth place in Rapid contest respectively. The winner got cash award of Rs 50,000 and next four of Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 8,500 respectively. Similarly, in Blitz contest after winner Arvindh, GM Laxman RR with 9 points, WGM Kulkarni Bharti with 8, GM Visakh NR with 8 and GM Neelotpal Das also with 8 points remained at second, third, fourth and fifth place respectively. For Blitz, the winner got a cash award of Rs 20,000 and next four of Rs 12,000, Rs 9,000, Rs 6500 and Rs 4,000 respectively. In all 40 chess players got cash awards of Rs 2.5 Lakh for both the contests.
LPU Additional Director Aman Mittal and Mrs Vaani Mittal honoured the players with cash awards and mementoes. Also present on this occasion were Vice President Punjab State Chess Association Vinod Sharma; Secretary, PSCA, Muneesh Thapar; Sr Vice President of Jalandhar Chess Association Rajinder Jee; Treasurer Kirti Jee; and, Chief Arbiter from Pune Shidore Rajendra.
Jalandhar Chess Association had organised this four-day championship under the aegis of Punjab State Chess Association & All India Chess Federation. In this LPU hosted event, 112 top players from 23 states of India revealed extra-ordinary chess-skills during all four days during different 11 rounds. In this championship, illustrious participants included 7 Grand Masters; 3 Woman Grand Masters; 11 International Master; 1 Woman International Master; 6 FIDE Masters. In both Rapid and Blitz competitions of the event, 11 rounds for each were played. From among small age group contestants, Amaira Mittal displayed the best of chess skills in her very tender age by gaining 4 points.
