Priyanka, Iniyan, Pranav, Aakash in lead @ ASIAN CONTINENTAL SELECTION, FIDE ONLINE WORLD UNDER 10-18 RAPID CHAMPIONSHIPS 2020
Third seed WIM Prianka Nuttaki with a good 4/5 start led the Under 18 Girls field after five rounds in the ASIAN CONTINENTAL SELECTION, FIDE ONLINE WORLD UNDER 10-18 RAPID CHAMPIONSHIPS 2020. This three day FIDE qualifier began on 11th December, 2020 and concludes by 13th December, 2020. Top seed WIM Vantika Agrawal shared the second spot half a point behind at 3.5 points. Both Girls are within striking range for a medal finish.
In the Under-16 Girls section, WIM Rakshitta Ravi & WFM Jyothsna L shared the second spot with 4/5 score, half a point behind the leader WIM Song Yuxin (China). AGM Renganayaki V stood in the second place with 4/5 in the Under-14 Girls section, a full point behind leaders Latifah Laysa (Indonesia) and Claros April Joy (The Philippines).
Second seed Anupam M Sreekumar & fifth seed Mrittika Mallick kept India’s medal chances going in the Under-12 Girls section with 4.0 points. Holding one full point lead was Indonesian WFM Edithso Samantha at 5.0 points. In the Girls Under-10 section Shreya G Hipparagi held on to the second place at 4.0 points, one point behind the leader Yousefian Maedeh Of Iran.
The Boys section appeared to promise more medals for India as Grandmaster Iniyan P (U-18), Pranav V (U-14) & Aakash G (U-10) led their respective categories. Fresh from his World Open online title win, Iniyan P shed just half a point in five rounds, keeping the lead with 4.5/5 score. Fellow Indian International Masters Sankalp Gupta and Neelash Saha follow Iniyan at 4.0 points.
In the Under 16 Boys section, FM Rohith Krishna S & IM Raja Rithvik R stood half a point behind the leader, Concio Michael Jr. (The Philippines) at 4.0 points. With a cent percent score Pranav V led the Under 14 Boys section after five rounds. One point behind Pranav was IM Aditya Mittal at 4.0 points. Chennai boy Ilamparthi A R (3.5/5) is the leading Indian in the Under 12 section, one full point behind the leaders Poh Yu Tian of Malaysia and Xiao Tong(Qd) of China.
India’s Aakash G shared the top spot with Ang Ern Jie Anderson of Malaysia with 4.5 points in the Under 10 Boys section. The leaders face each other in the sixth and penultimate round which will be a straight fight for the Gold. Half a point behind the leaders at 4.0 points was Indian junior Mrinmoy Rajkhowa, who should fancy his chances with a good finish.
The showdown in the final two rounds will be the key for the Indian medal prospects, in this seven round online event.
