PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, April 7: Eight-year-old Dishita Dey surprised everyone by winning the Under-18 girls championship by defeating Pratibha Singh of Dhanbad in her last encounter in the 21st Jharkhand State Under -18 Open and Girls Chess Championship. The event concluded at Tata Steel Chess Training Centre, JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur last evening.
Dishita, the East Singhbhum girl, won the event with 3.5 points out of four points leaving Saraikela Kharsawan girl, Kaushika Kumari in the second spot with three points only who defeated the overnight joint leader Sunidhi Singh in the last round. Sunidhi Singh finished third in the rankings.
In the boys’ section, Ishant Kumar of Dhanbad despite his last round loss in the hands of young Adhiraj Mitra who won three games at a stretch after his shocking loss in the second round won the Championship in a three-way tie involving Kumar Sankalp of East Singhbhum apart from Adhiraj.
All had four points each. The second and third positions went to Adhiraj Mitra and Kumar Sankalp.
The prizes were distributed by the chief guest Sanjeev Kumar, manager, Sports Department, Tata Steel and N K Tiwary, general secretary, East Singhbhum in presence of the secretary, All Jharkhand Chess Association (AJCA)and Ajay Kumar, the joint secretary of AJCA.
