Date:26/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/26/stories/2003042604181800.htm

Sport - Chess

Arun Prasad and Sivasankari emerge winners

By Manuel Aaron

Chennai April 25. S. Arun Prasad of Salem and P. Sivasankari of Thiruvallur district became the new State champions when the ninth and final round of the Ramco 29th Tamil Nadu State sub-junior and the 17th Tamil Nadu State girls chess championships concluded here this afternoon at the Hall of Chess in the Nehru Stadium.

Arun Prasad, the top seed, defeated M.M. Anandraj on the top board to romp home with a full point lead and take home the cash prize of Rs 1200 and the V.L. Ethiraj Trophy.

The second seed, T. Abhay, also of Salem, was held to a second draw in a row to finish in a tie for second spot, one point behind the champion.

On the top two boards of the State sub-junior girls championship for the Arasan Kalyanasundari Ammal Trophy, peace prevailed. Second seeded P. Sivasankari and S. Harini were involved in a tame draw and Sivasankari became the champion. The two girls from Salem, P.K. Jayshree and top seed L. Ishwarya Shobana split point on the next table.

Arun Prasad's victory is no surprise. He was the runner-up in the National under-19 championship and is slated to travel to Colombo to play in the Asian Junior championship from July 18. He has also won three State titles in the last 15 months. Arun has just finished his tenth standard from St. John's School, Salem.

Sivasankari has just been promoted to the tenth at the Velammal Matriculation School at Mogappair. She won the TN State under-12 championship in 2002. Sivasankari is a consistent prizewinner in State and national championships and won bronze medals in the National under-12 Rapid and under-14 Rapid championships in 2001 and 2002. She is being helped in her chess by the ICF stars T.J. Suresh Kumar and Syed Anwar Shazuli.

Mr Bharath Munnoth, MD, Munnoth Financial Services, gave away the prizes. Mr S. Balachandran, president, Chennai District Chess Association, presided over the function. Mr V. Kamewaran, vice president, Tamil Nadu Chess Association, offered felicitations.

Final standings (boys): 1 S. Arun Prasad 8; 2-4. T. Abhay, K.V. Venprakash, G. Balachandar 7; 5-10. M.M. Anandraj (Che), Sa Kannan (Siv), S. Narendrakumar (Cbe), R. Premnath (Kan), Nishaanth (NLC), M. Gopikrishna (Kiruba CA) 6.5;11-14. Dyal K. Aditya (Tvlr), R. Muthuprakash (KK), N. Srinath (Che), R. Arun Karthik (Tvlr) 6; 15-27. P. Saravanakrishnan (Kan), R. Rajesh (Che), N. Surendran (TN Teachers), B. Adhiban (Che), S.M. Syed Moosa (Che), P. Karthikeyan (Che), R. Aswath (Che), M. Subachandran (KK), SP. Sethuraman (Che), AL. Palaniappan (Vishy Anand CA), C.V. Raghuram Balaji (Chromepet CI), S. Sriprasanth (Vnr), S. Sathyanarayanan (Siv) 5.5.

Girls: 1. P. Sivasankari (Tvlr) 8; 2. L. Iswarya Shobana (Slm) 7.5; 3-7. P.K. Jayashree (Slm), S. Harini (Kan), K. Radhika (Tvlr) A. Sithalatchumi (SPF), K.E.R. Ranjitha (Che); 8-11. L. Sudarshana (Slm), Kiruba H. Arasu (Kiruba CA), Pon N. Krithika (Kan), P. Uthra (Tvlr) 6; 12-16. R. Preethi (Kiruba CA), J. Rajasurya (Mdu), R. Sharanya (TN Teachers), S. Bharathi (NLC), K. Mrunalini (Che) 5.5.