Aansh Nerurkar scripts history at Prague International Chess Festival

1st Test, day 1, FanCode, 9.30 a.m Star Sports 1 (SD & HD) & Jio Cinema, 8 p.m.

Elevenyearold Aansh Nerurkar has become the first Indian to win in the future category of the Prague International Chess Festival alongside securing the best team award with GM R. Praggnanandhaa.

Nerurkar scored eight points from nine rounds which included seven wins and two draws, earning 132 FIDE rating points and taking his tally to 1786.

Undefeated

He remained undefeated while competing against Poland’s Brzezina Pawel (FIDE 1914) and Andre Tomas from Slovakia (FIDE 1915).

Nerurkar also qualified to get the lifetime title of Candidate Master (CM) from FIDE in the upcoming months. He has a record of 163 wins, 47 draws and 68 losses in his journey so far, a release said.

The tournament was conducted by the Czech Chess Federation under the European Chess Feder

DThe 11-year-old has become the first Indian to win in the future category

The future category featured 10 players from across the world and followed a round-robin format, with participants selected based on FIDE ratings and age criteria

ation, which is affiliated to FIDE.

The future category featured 10 players from across the world and followed a roundrobin format, with participants selected based on FIDE ratings and age criteria.

Nerurkar, who began playing chess at the age of seven and studies in the sixth standard here at Orchids The International School, won the gold medal in the National U11 Chess Championship in Vishakhapatnam in 2023, having previously clinched the bronze in the National U10 Championship in Jammu.

Also, in 2023, Nerurkar won the gold medal in the Maharashtra Chess Rapid Chess Championship held in Mumbai.