New Delhi, Sep 10 : Chess prodigy Shubhi Gupta clinched the girls U-16 gold and girls U-20 bronze in the recently concluded Commonwealth Chess Championships 2024 in Kalutara, Sri Lanka.

A Women FIDE Master (WFM) and the reigning U-19 girls' national champion, Shubhi left a lasting impression with her impeccable performance in the U-16 category, securing seven wins and two draws. With an exceptional score of eight points out of a possible nine, she outclassed her competition, finishing ahead of India's Mrittika Mallick (seven points) and Yashvi Jain (6.5 points), who took second and third places, respectively.



Shubhi further showcased her competitive spirit in the Open category, competing against seasoned Grandmasters (GMs), International Masters (IMs) and Women Grandmasters (WGMs). Her determined performance, scoring 4.5 points, led to a third-place finish in the U-20 girls' division, securing her a bronze medal.



Reflecting on her success, Shubhi said, "It was a fantastic experience, playing against some of the top international players. I am happy that I could perform consistently in both U-16 and the Open category. Winning the Commonwealth U-12 title and the World Cadet Championship were important milestones in my journey, and this latest success has boosted my confidence further. I am looking forward to playing many more Open tournaments this year and continuing to improve my game.'



Shubhi's stellar achievements come with a prize purse of Rs 1,00,000, adding to her growing list of accolades. The young talent from Ghaziabad was first introduced to chess by her father and has consistently delivered outstanding performances on the national and international stages.



She previously won the U-12 gold at the Commonwealth Youth Chess Championship and captured the World Cadet Championship title in the same age category two years ago.



/IANS