Players compete at Finnov8 Capital chess tourney

The 1st Finnov8 Capital Open Chess Tournament, held at DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology (DAVIET), witnessed an impressive turnout of 220 players from over 25 cities, making it one of the largest open chess events in the region.

The two-day tournament concluded on a high note, offering a total prize pool of Rs 1.5 lakh. In the open category, Puneet Verma clinched the top spot, taking home a cash prize of Rs 25,000. He was followed by Utkrishit Tuli who won Rs 12,500, and Ishmeet Singh who secured the third prize of Rs 8,000.

The tournament also saw remarkable performances across various age brackets. In the under-9 category, Sahibnoor Singh, Eshaan Saha and Namit Goel took the top three spots. Samarth Kapoor, Prabhav Atwal and Aarav Behal emerged as the winners in the under-11 category. In the under-13 group, Atharv Singh Negi secured first place, while Shivam Thakur and Amitej Kalia stood second and third. The under-15 winners included Ekaaksha Pratap Singh Negi, Saksham Nawani, and Gupta Vihaan Kamalkant.

Special recognition was given in regional and demographic categories. In the Best Jalandhar Category, Aman Preet Singh, Prabhsimran Singh and Aryan Mehta were awarded. The Best Punjab Category saw Lakshit Pusri, Kartik Mittal and Saksham Kapoor emerge as winners. Among female participants, Pranjal Malhotra, Vanshika Yadav and Reet Garcha claimed top positions.

In the veterans (55+) category, Surendra Arora, Rajinder Singh Halwara and Parkash Suraj secured the top three spots. Winners in the unrated category included Kriti Agnihotri, Sarthak Periwal and Agamjot Singh Gill.

A total of 83 trophies were distributed during the event. The tournament was inaugurated by Rajesh Duggal, President of the Jalandhar Chess Association and was conducted under the supervision of Chief Arbiter Varun Kumar and Deputy Chief Arbiter Chandresh Bakshi, ensuring fair and seamless competition.

Refreshments were provided to all players on both days, adding to the positive atmosphere of the event. CA Sachin Saluja, Founder of Finnov8 Capital and CA Sahil Wadhwa, Director of Finnov8 Capital, along with their team, were present throughout, reaffirming the company’s commitment to nurturing youth talent and promoting excellence in chess.

Jalandhar