Tags:
Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, Seot 13: Niharika Thakkar is the new U-16 girls inter-school chess champion. She claims she knows 4,44,444 Sardarji jokes! And unlike most chess players, who look very serious, she is non-stop fun when you sit down to talk with her. 8220;Chess is my career. Other games I play are for fun. I want to be another Vishwanathan Anand. I lose to my brother Sameer at home but beat him in tournaments. I like to play chess because it does not involve any physical exercise. I do not like playing against my computer 8212; I always win. I believe in God but do not believe in ghosts, though I dreamt of skeletons once. My father is going to buy the Fritz 5 software, it has 3,33,333 games.8221;
At 10, the standard V Lady Vissanji Academy student is the youngest girl to win the U-16 title. But her prodigious talent was already laid bare when she became the youngest player to qualify, and win, the Bombay Chess Association entrants title last month. 8220;Youngest means I was 9,8221; Niharika says unassumingly. Though she lost todefending champion Yogita Yevle in Round 8 today, Niharika was declared winner on better progressive scoring.
Final StandingsU-14 boys: 1. Akash Khalwadekar Stanislaus 2. Mahesh Rewaskar Gokuldham 3. Jatin Ramanathan Gokuldham 4. Sameer Thakkar Lady Vissanji 5. Varun Dattani Cathedral 6. Kabir Malhotra CathedralU-16 boys: 1. Ameya Karandikar Parle Tilak 2. Nikhil Bhat Xavier8217;s, Fort 3. Vispy Pardiwala Bombay Scottish 4. Raj Parak Gokhale 5. Ninad Pandit Joseph, Orlem 6. A Siddharth Bombay Scottish
U-16 girls: 1.Niharika Thakkar Lady Vissanji 2. Priyanka Vora JB Vachha 3. Yogita Yevle Parle Tilak 4. Purva Variya Gokuldham 5. Swarali Thipsay Joseph8217;s, Bandra 6. Priyanka Khalwadekar Joseph, Bandra.
