5 Karnataka kids in top 20, all gaining ELO!

(Photo - Girish Kaushik receiving his prize from
Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi with Asian Women's
Champion Tania Sachdev and AICF Treasurer Bharat
Singh Chauhan also present)

Karnataka lads did well in the Parsvanath
National Under 13 Chess tournament which
concluded at the Bapu Samaj Seva Kendra,
New Delhi. In fact, three of the kids finished
in the top 10 and there were 5 in the top 20
which reflects the ever increasing strength of the
coaching prowess in the State led by the veteran
IM D.V. Prasad, State Secretary Hanumantha,
Arvind Shastry, N. Sanjay, M.S. Thejkumar
and the other mentors.

Niranjan Navalgund, of Belgaum, finished 6th. The
lad is surely going places. Having beaten strong IM S.P.
Sethuraman and eventual winner in the National Subjunior,
he consolidated his presence in his own age group with a fine showing
here. He finished with 8.5 points and will gain 4 ELO points
from this event.

M.G. Gahan of Mangalore and FIDE Master Girish Kaushik
of Mysore finished with 8 points and were awarded 7th and 8th place
respectively. Gahan, who is largely self taught, will be gaining
a whopping 56 points, whereas Girish who learns from his
father Arun Kaushik will be benefiting by 5 ELO.

D. Yashas will another significant gainer with 27 ELO points and
13th place. He notched 8 points as well. Antonio Viani D' Cunha,
also of Mangalore, was the fifth kid in the top 20 with 7.5 points
and 18th place. He will be gaining 7 ELO points for his efforts.

The Karnataka contingent will be happy to know that AICF has
decided to hold the 2008 version of the National Subjunior in
their home state. Perhaps with favourable conditions, one of them
can make it to the National squad and represent the country in
the World and Asian Youth Championships in 2009.