Achievements in 2023
More than 200 prizes won by different students of Academy in various Open and Age Group competitions organized at various places in Thane District, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and surrounding areas.
- Master Ankur Gokhale and Mr. Siddharth Venkatesh won prizes in 1st GCH Sharad Pawar All India FIDE Rapid Rating Tournament 2023. This tournament was organized by Garware Club House and conducted by Mumbai City District Chess Association at Wankhede Stadium (2nd Floor), Churchgate, Mumbai on 7th January 2023, Saturday. Master Ankur Gokhale secured 5th place by scoring 8 points out of 9 games with 8 wins and 1 loss. Ankur was rewarded with a cash prize of ₹ 9,000/- and a beautiful trophy. Mr. Siddharth Venkatesh secured 9th place in the same tournament by scoring 7.5 points out of 9 games with 7 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. Siddharth was rewarded a cash prize of ₹ 5,000/- and a beautiful trophy. Around 450 players participated in this tournament. Total cash prize for this tournament was ₹ 1,50,000/-.
- Miss Vibha Navare and Master Ankur Gokhale won prizes in 1st MLA Chashak All India FIDE Rapid Rating Tournament 2023. This tournament was organized by Kalyan Taluka Buddhibal Sanstha and conducted by Thane District Chess Association at Navrang Banquets Hall, Near Fortis Hospital, Kalyan (West), on 16th April 2023, Sunday. Master Ankur Gokhale secured 18th place by scoring 7 points out of 9 games with 7 wins and 2 losses. Ankur was rewarded with a cash prize of ₹ 2,100/-. Miss Vibha Navare secured 3rd place in Under 16 Years Girls category, in the same tournament. Vibha scored 5.5 points out of 9 games. Vibha was rewarded a beautiful trophy. Around 600 players participated in this tournament. First Prize for this tournament was Honda Activa. Total cash prize for this tournament was ₹ 2,00,000/-.
- Master Rishit Narkhede and Master Ankur Gokhale won prizes in 9th Late Bhartbai Halkude Memorial Rapid Rating Chess Tournament 2023, held at, Dhruv Global School, Undri, Pune, on 18th May 2023 (Thursday). Master Ankur Gokhale secured 9th place. He scored 7.5 points out of 9 games with 7 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. He was rewarded with a cash prize of ₹ 2,500/-. Master Rishit Narkhede secured 6th place in the rating category of 1301 to 1400, in the same tournament. He scored 6 points out of 9 games with 6 wins, and 3 losses. He was rewarded with a medal. Around 500+ players participated in this tournament. Total cash prize for this tournament was ₹ 2,00,000/-.
- Six Students from the Academy – Master Sarvesh Shinde, Master Mihir Gadgil, Master Adinath Shastri, Master Om Salekar, Master Shrinidhi Petkar Master Anay Uplap, achieved FIDE International Classical Rating in 7th Late Bhartbai Halkude Memorial Classical Rating Chess Tournament 2023, held at, Dhruv Global School, Undri, Pune, between 13th May to 17th May 2023. Around 550+ players participated in this tournament. Miss Vibha Navare secured 5th place in “Under 15 Years Girls Category” in the same Tournament. She was rewarded with Certificate & Medal. Master Vedant Dhumne (enhanced FIDE rating with 55 points), Master Soham Joshi (enhanced FIDE rating with 39 points), Master Swanand Datar (enhanced FIDE rating with 10 points) enhanced their FIDE rating in the same tournament. Total Fiifteen students from academy participated in this tournament. All these studednts were accompanied and guided by Mr. Abhijit Joshi (Head Coach of Academy, FIDE Instructor & FIDE Arbiter) and Mr. Rahul Joshi (Senior Trainer of Academy, National Instructor & FIDE Arbiter), during the tournament. Total cash prize for this tournament was ₹ 14,00,022/-.
- Miss Samiksha Salunkhe secured 3rd place in Under 16 Years Girls Age Group, in 1st JK’s ECA One Day FIDE Rapid Rating Chess Tournament 2023. This tournament was organized by Excellence Chess Academy, on 13th August 2023, Sunday, at Kodre Farms, Sinhagad Road, Pune. Samiksha was rewarded with a beautiful trophy. Six students from academy participated in this tournament. All of them were accompanied by Mr. Rahul Joshi (Senior Trainer of Academy, National Instructor & FIDE Arbiter) for the tournament. Total cash prize for this tournament was ₹ 4,00,000/-.
- Miss Samiksha Salunkhe achieved FIDE International Classical Rating in “Winter Cup Classical Below 1600 FIDE Rating Open International Chess Tournament 2023”. The tournament was organized and conducted by Chess in Lakecity, Udaipur, between 22nd to 24th December 2023 at Orbit Resort, New Bhopalpura, R. K. Circle, Udaipur, Rajasthan. Around 550 players from three federations participated in this event. Total cash prize for this tournament was ₹ 15,00,000/-. Master Mihir Gadgil enhanced his FIDE rating with 5 points in the same tournament. Five students from academy participated in this tournament. All of them were accompanied and guided by Mr. Abhijit Joshi (Head Coach of Academy, FIDE Instructor & FIDE Arbiter) during the tournament.
- Master Ankur Gokhale, Master Shlok Jadhav, Miss Sharvari Tarani won prizes in Rotary Thane Midtown’s FIDE Rapid Rating Tournament 2023. This tournament was organized by Rotary Club of Thane Midtown Charity Trust and Upstep Academy, on 15th August 2023, Tuesday, at Tip Top Plaza, L.B.S. Marg, Thane (West). Master Ankur Gokhale secured 11th place. He scored 7.5 points out of 9 games with 7 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. Ankur was rewarded a cash prize of ₹ 2,100/-. Master Shlok Jadhav secured 10th place in under 7 years age group category. He scored 3 points out of 9 games. Shlok was rewarded with a beautiful trophy. Miss Sharvari Tarani secured 3rd place in Best Thane Girls category, in the same tournament. She scored 4 points out of 9 games. Sharvari was rewarded cash prize of ₹ 1,500/-. Five Times World Champion, Padma Vibhushan Awardee, Super Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand, was the Guest of Honor for this tournament. All the prize winners were lucky to receive prizes from Vishwanathan Anand. Around 525 players participated in this tournament. Total cash prize for this tournament was ₹ 2,50,000/-.
- The academy successfully organized ‘9th Intra Academy Age group Rapid chess tournament 2023’ on 8th October 2023 (Sunday) at Smt. Savitridevi Thirani Vidya Mandir, Vartak Nagar, Thane (W). This tournament was open for six age groups i.e. under – 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, & 15 years. Master Manomay Patil (Under 7 Years), Master Parth Ganpule (Under 8 Years), Master Shaurya Iyer (Under 9 Years), Master Pratyush Gaonkar (Under 10 Years), Master Adinath Shastri (Under 12 Years) and Master Vedant Dhumne (Under 15 Years), secured 1st place in their age groups. Total 270 students from different batches of the academy participated in this event. Total 120 prizes (72 Trophies + 48 Medals) were distributed, which includes 20 prizes (17 Open + 3 for Girls) in each group. All the coaches, students and their parents took great efforts to makes this event successful.
- Master Shreyas Parameshwaran and Master Jash Desai achieved FIDE International Classical Rating in Rochess Maharashtra State Amateur FIDE Rating Selection Chess Tournament 2023. Mr. Jenil Shah, Master Ankur Gokhale and Mr. Laukik Pangshe won prizes in the same tournament. This tournament was organized & sponsored by Rotary Club of Thane North, CKP Social Club Thane & CKP Dnyatigruha Trust Thane and conducted by Thane District Chess Association at CKP Hall, Ganpat Jairam Kharkar Ali Marg, Thane (West), between 9th to 11th December 2023. Jenil Shah (Senior Player of Academy) secured 14th place in the same tournament and was rewarded with a cash prize of ₹ 1,000/-. Jenil scored 6.5 points out of 8 games with 6 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. Master Ankur Gokhale and Laukik Pangshe (Senior Player of Academy) secured 2nd & 3rd place amongst best players from Thane. Both scored 6 points out of 8 games with 6 wins and 2 losses. Ankur and Laukik both will represent Maharashtra State in National Amateur, in Below 2000 rating category.
- Mr. Rahul Joshi (Senior Trainer of Academy, National Instructor & FIDE Arbiter) achieved the title of International Arbiter (IA). His International Arbiter (IA) title was approved during the 3rd FIDE Council Online Meeting conducted on 14th December 2023.
