Leelamma Alphonso

MUMBAI, July 7: Top seed Rahul Shetty clinched the Rapid chess championship organised by the Bombay Chess Association at the Zandu Pharmaceutical Canteen Hall, Sayani Road, yesterday.

Shetty toppled overnight leader, Bhagyashree Tipsay (Fide ELO 2220), dealing the International Women's Master her first defeat in the event.

Shetty took his tally to seven points in the eight-round championship, pipping Bhagyashree by half a point to pocket the top prize of Rs 16,000. Bhagyashree collected Rs 10,000 for her efforts.

Earlier, Shetty outwitted National `B' player Sharath Gokul in the seventh round while Bhagyashree was held by Anil Ghadigaonkar.

Rashmin Pulekar was voted best junior player, Sharath Gokul the best sub-junior both finishing with six points each. Best under-12 player was Vaibhav Saxena with five points.

A total of Rs 8,500 in cash prizes were given away at the event officiated by DB Pulekar as chief arbiter with Anand Raman his deputy.

Results (8th round): Rahul Shetty (7) bt Bhagyashree Thipsay (6.5); N Neelakantan (6.5) bt Rashmin Pulekar (6); VKN Solanky (6.5) bt G Balaji (5.5); Al Ghadigaonkar (6) drew with Vinayak Ghate (6); Sharath Gokul (6) bt D Ravishankar (5.5); Vinay Sarthi (5) lost to Prasad Deshmukh (6); N Balaji (6) bt DK Golwankar (5); Sushant Banerji (6) bt Y Aidasani (5); Manishkumar P (6) bt Sekhar Kashelkar (5); DG Bhandarkar (4.5) lost to Ramesh Khadye (6); Nikhil Kamat (5) bt Ganesh Bhilare (4); Vaibhav Saxena (5) bt Amar Kamat (3.5).

ROYAL WIN: Royal Caterers entered the final with a 4-3 (full-time 1-1) penalty shootout victory over Borivilians in the semifinals at the St Xavier's Ground, Parel, today.

Royal Caterers took a 1-0 half-time lead after Vincent Noronha capitalised on Mohammed Ilayas pass in the 25th minute.

Borivilians struck back through Anis Kanchon who put away Diego Fernandes' pass midway through the second half.

Borivilians took control thereafter but failed to exploit the many chances that came their way.

D Pereira, N D'Souza and Mohd Ilayes scored for Royal Caterers in the penalty duel while Raju Jose and Purushottam Amin were Borivilians' successes.

A goal by Sandeep Naik enabled Don Bosco Oratory beat Ace XI 1-0 in Div I played at the same venue.

Mumbai Medar Samaj had a far easier time in Div III, routing Young Boys Siddharth 4-0. Two goals by Attival and one apiece by Ganesh Medar, Ramesh Medar and Bassana Medar completed the scoring.

DOKULE UP: Ramesh Dokule beat Vinod Panhale 25-8, 25-9 to make the fourth round of the Kshatriya Union Club carrom tournament, here today.

Keshav Kotian joined him with a 25-5, 25-11 win over Jayesh Dharia. Another third round winner was Satyawan Waghmare who beat Guldip Sarkar 23-18, 25-2.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.