The Inter-College Chess Championship, which witnessed the participation of 42 colleges from across the state, proved to be a highly competitive and challenging event for our college team. The squad comprised a mix of senior and junior players, including Raj Singh and Vidhita Chari from the T.Y.B.Sc class, Alton Paes from S.Y.B.Sc, and two F.Y.B.Sc students, Aditi Redkar and Sachin Thakur. While Vidhita Chari served as a substitute throughout the tournament, the core team of Raj, Sachin, Alton, and Aditi played all six rounds, demonstrating their commitment and endurance.

The team’s journey through the tournament was marked by individual brilliance but a lack of collective victories. In the opening round against Dhempe College, only Raj Singh managed to win his match, a pattern that unfortunately repeated itself in the second round against Gannet Parsekar College, where once again Raj was the sole victor. The third round against Borda College saw a shift, with Sachin Thakur stepping up to secure the team’s only win of that match. Raj Singh reclaimed his winning form in the fourth round against Architecture College and continued his streak in the fifth round against Home Science College, emerging victorious in both encounters while his teammates faced defeats. The team saved its best collective performance for the final round against Goa College of Pharmacy, where both Raj Singh and Sachin Thakur won their respective games, providing a strong finish to an otherwise difficult campaign.

Overall, Raj Singh emerged as the standout performer of the tournament, winning an impressive five out of his six matches, with his only loss coming in the third round. Sachin Thakur also showed great promise as a first-year player by securing two crucial wins, including one in the final round. However, Alton Paes and Aditi Redkar, despite playing all rounds with dedication, were unable to register any individual victories, highlighting an area that requires focused improvement. The team accumulated a total of seven individual match wins across the six rounds, which translated into a final standing of 41st place out of 42 participating colleges. While this position may seem modest, the tournament provided invaluable exposure and experience, particularly for the younger players. The team’s fighting spirit, especially the exceptional performance of Raj Singh and the promising debut of Sachin Thakur, deserves commendation. Looking ahead, it is recommended that the team engage in more rigorous and regular practice sessions, including tactical drills, endgame studies, and simulated match play.

Additionally, mental conditioning and time-management training would greatly benefit the players in handling high-pressure situations. With consistent preparation and more practice matches against other institutions, the team has strong potential to climb the rankings and deliver a much more competitive performance in future editions of the championship.