Barinder Saluja, Chandigarh,Oct. 11 : Chandigarh’s chess prodigy, Tarini Goyal lifted the title in the 24th Under 9 Girls National Chess Championship 2010 that concluded in Ahmedabad yesterday. Tarini, a student of Class IV of Sacred Heart Convent School, scored 10 points in the 11-round tournament. She remained unbeaten throughout the tournament but had to settle for a draw in two matches.
During the arduous 10-day journey towards the top slot, Tarini beat a number of nationally established players including the Asian Gold Medalist Bansi Prathima of Andhra Pradesh, R Vaishali and K Priyanka of Tamil Nadu and Sonali Jena of Orissa.
It is for the first time that any player from the entire Northern Region, except Delhi, has achieved this level of success in a National Championship. Speaking on her achievement, Tarini said that she is not going to rest on the laurels of this success, but would soon get back to work to prepare for the forthcoming Asian and World Championships.
Initiated into the game by Arunima Goyal, her elder sister,Tarini started playing chess at the age of five. In her initial years, she was mentored by her coach Naveen Bansal before the nationally renowned coach G B Joshi held her hand and catapulted her to this position. She has the potential to become a Women Grand Master, says Joshi.
Vipnesh Bhardwaj, Jt. Secretary, All India Chess Federation and Hony. Secretary of Chandigarh Chess Association (CCA) has congratulated Tarini on her success and wished her a very bright future. Stating that the Chandigarh Chess Association is proud of her achievement, Bhardwaj said it was a big day for the CCA and this young girl’s achievement has placed Chandigarh on high pedestal not only at the national level in chess but also at the international level. She would inspire the other young players from Chandigarh and the surrounding region to take up chess and achieve greater success, he added.
Sister Sebastina, Principal of Sacred Heart School, has also congratulated Tarini and promised all possible support from the school to enable Tarini to pursue her chess career.
