Nagpur: Shaunak Badole, a rising star in Nagpur's chess circuit, has added another feather to his cap by winning two gold medals at the Commonwealth Youth Chess Championship held in Sri Lanka. This marks his first international appearance after becoming the National U-13 chess champion last year.
On Monday, Shaunak secured gold medals in both the classical and rapid formats of the U-14 category. Meanwhile, Nagpur's Saksham Wadhwa narrowly missed the gold in the U-18 category, settling for a silver medal in the classical format and a bronze in the rapid event.
Shaunak's Dominant Performance in the U-14 Open Group
With an Elo rating of 2240, Shaunak was the top seed in the U-14 Open group. He started strong by winning the first two rounds. In the next three rounds, he faced seeded opponents and played cautiously, securing draws. In the sixth round, despite playing with black pieces, he defeated Sri Lanka's Nanayakkara Sanuk. From there, he went on a four-game winning streak.
In the eighth round, Shaunak surprised second-seeded Indian AIM Adhiraj Mitra (Elo 2147). He then defeated fourth seed Laddad Aadhavan Atish in the final round. With six wins and three draws, he finished with 7.5 points, securing the top position.
Rapid Format Victory
Shaunak's first international gold medal boosted his confidence. He dominated the seven-round rapid tournament, winning all seven rounds to claim his second consecutive gold medal with a perfect score of 7 points.
A student of Narayana Vidyalayam, Shaunak aims to continue his winning streak in the upcoming Asian and World U-14 championships later this year.
Saksham Wadhwa's Achievements in U-18 Open Group
In the U-18 Open group, Nagpur's Saksham Wadhwa narrowly missed the gold medal. He remained unbeaten in the classical format, finishing with 7 points. Malaysia's second-seeded FM Siva Kumar Nirish Kumar won the gold with 7.5 points. Saksham's record of five wins and four draws earned him the silver medal.
In the seven-round rapid format, Saksham won the bronze medal with 5 points.
