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Rourkela, April 28: GM Debashis Das emerged champion of the National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships here Tuesday after finishing with 9.5 points. Debashis held IM Arghyadip Das of West Bengal to a draw in his 11th and final round match to take the top honour.
However, Swayangsu Satyapragyan (7.5) finished fifth losing his match to IM K Rathnakaran of Railways. A win would have catapulted him among the top three. IM Diptayan Ghosh (8.5) of West Bengal secured the second position, while GM Neelotpal Das (eight) also of West Bengal, finished third.
Among other Orissa players, Ansuman Samal scripted a hard-fought victory against state mate Soyamsree Mohanty, Utkal Ranjan Sahoo played a stalemate with SV Srinath Rao of Maharashtra, while FM Rakesh Kumar Jena was outwitted by DB Chandra Prasad of Andhra Pradesh.
Arvind retained
Oriya kabaddi star Arvind Khuntia was retained by his franchise, Puneri Paltan for the second edition of the Pro-Kabaddi League starting July 12. Right corner player Arvind was bought by the Paltans at `1,50,000 in last year’s auction. He maintained the same price this year too. “Last year I got an invaluable experience playing alongside the foreign players. I am more confident this time. I will try my best to put forward my best performance,” stated Arvind.
PMA win
Pyari Mohan Academy (PMA) blanked SCB Medical Public School 2-0 in one of the matches of the Debabrata Memorial Inter-School football tournament at the Pyari Mohan Ground in Cuttack, Tuesday. SK Sarfaraz of PMA was adjudged man of the match.
Inter-Hostel football
Keonjhar, Baripada, Bhawanipatna, Phulbani and Combined-A won their respective matches of the Inter-Hostel football tournament at the Satyabrata Stadium in Cuttack, Tuesday.
Keonjhar pipped Balasore 1-0 while Baripada blanked Combined-D 2-0. Bhawanipatna beat Combined-C 1-0 and Phulbani defeated Combined-Q 1-0. Combined-A overcame Sambalpur 1-0.