JAMMU, Aug 14: Surinder Gupta emerged victorious in the VCA Khelo Jammu Independence Cup Chess Tournament 2026, organised by the Vivek Chess Academy (VCA) in Jammu. Surinder displayed consistent form throughout the six-round competition and secured the title with an impressive 5.5 points.
Mitansh Magotra finished runner-up with five points, while Amrita Gupta and Krishna Gandotra secured the third and fourth positions respectively with 4.5 points each. Gaurav Kumar finished fifth with four points.
The day-long tournament witnessed the participation of 30 promising young boys and girls and was conducted under the six-round FIDE Swiss System. The event provided an opportunity for budding chess players to compete in a structured tournament and gain valuable competitive experience.
In the Under-15 boys category, Ayaansh Abrol clinched the gold medal with four points. Gulshan Kumar secured silver with 3.5 points, while Manoj Mahajan won bronze with three points.
The Under-13 boys title went to Aryansh Thakur, who scored 4.5 points. Aryaveer Parihaar finished second with 3.5 points, followed by Atharv Kesar, also with 3.5 points.
In the Under-13 girls category, Pearl Thothla claimed the top position with two points. Bhargavi Kapoor finished second, while Ruby Kumari secured third place, with all three players recording two points.
In the Under-10 boys category, Prajanya Mahajan emerged winner with 3.5 points. Triyam Gupta took the silver medal with two points, while Ayansh Puthia finished third with 1.5 points.
The Under-10 girls title was won by Naisha Handoo with three points. Namya Gupta also scored three points to finish second, while Raesha Thothla secured third place with 2.5 points.
The tournament featured six rounds of closely contested matches. In the opening round, Mitansh defeated Keshav, Surinder defeated Krishna, Amrita defeated Manoj, while Aryansh Thakur got the better of Mehreen. Other winners included Aayansh, Amohi, Pearl, Avni, Bhargavi and Gulshan, while Prajanya and Atharv played out a draw.
In the second round, Surinder defeated Amohi and Mitansh defeated Avni. Amrita overcame Bhargavi, while Aryansh Thakur defeated Triyam. Other notable winners included Gulshan, Gaurav, Aryaveer, Naisha, Krishna and Manoj.
The third round saw Mitansh defeat Aarav and Surinder overcome Aryansh Thakur. Amrita defeated Gulshan, while Gaurav defeated Prajanya. Krishna, Aryaveer, Avni, Ayansh and Atharv also registered victories.
In the fourth round, Surinder defeated Mitansh in an important encounter, while Amrita defeated Gaurav. Aarav overcame Bhargavi, Aryansh Thakur defeated Gulshan and Krishna defeated Aryaveer. Several other competitive matches were also played across the age categories.
The fifth round witnessed Surinder and Amrita playing out a draw, while Mitansh defeated Mehreen. Aarav and Krishna also drew their match. Aryansh Thakur defeated Manoj, Gaurav overcame Atharv and Aryaveer defeated Prajanya.
In the decisive sixth round, Surinder defeated Aarav to finish the tournament with 5.5 points. Mitansh defeated Amrita, while Aryansh Thakur drew with Gaurav. Krishna defeated Avni, whereas Aryaveer and Gulshan played out a draw. Prajanya, Ayansh, Naisha, Keshav, Mehreen, Namya and Raesha also registered victories in their respective matches.
Prizes worth Rs 2,600 were distributed among the winners of different categories by Vivek Bharti, Director of Vivek Chess Academy, and Stuti Gupta, National Senior Arbiter and Chief Arbiter of the tournament.
Stuti Gupta officiated as the Chief Arbiter and conducted the pairings using the latest Swiss pairing software, ensuring smooth and systematic conduct of the six-round FIDE Swiss System tournament.
The organisers said the event was aimed at providing young chess players with a competitive platform while promoting chess and sporting spirit among children and youth in Jammu.