Our 3rd Annual Fundraiser Tournament was a huge success thanks to the huge support from all of our participants! Over 3 sections, we were able to raise 1100$ for Arizona Helping Hands all while creating some unforgettable chess moments and spreading the game we so love.

In the Under 1400 Section, one of our youngest participants, Pranav Arun, scored a perfect 5/5 to take clear first. Eric Gan scored 3.5/5 to take clear second, and Gnanavel Sambandam took clear 1st U800 with 3/5. Our game of the tournament is Pranav’s and Eric’s 3rd round battle which ultimately decided the tournament. Pranav took an early advantage and played clinically to never let it go. Check out the game at: https://lichess.org/lCFvepb1#1.

In the 1400-1799 Section, youth shone yet again. 2023 USA World Cadet Representative Aayansh Guntaka took clear 1st with 4/5, in an inspiring comeback after losing his only game in the second round. Rushil Atreya and Diksha Jaikumar each scored 3.5/5 to tie for 2nd and 3rd. Here, our choice for the best game was Aayansh’s final victory against Diksha which allowed him to jump into first place and complete his comeback. Aayansh played a beautiful attacking game, complete with sacrifices and a checkmate in the middle of the board. Check out the game at: https://lichess.org/btLLTTQB#52.

In the Over 1800 Section, the top seed was able to prove his strength. Evan Yin took clear 1st with 4.5/5 and a dominating performance, evidenced by his 2583 performance rating. Aashish Anantharaman and Aaroh Mamidi scored 3.5/5 each to end in a tie for 2nd and 3rd in this hotly-contested section. We chose Evan’s final round victory against Aashish as the best game, as it allowed him to clinch the tournament victory with a blazing initiative. Check out the game at: https://lichess.org/JGJJgg9S

We would like to once again thank all of our amazing participants and our Chess Effect Team without whom this event wouldn’t have been possible. All proceeds from this event were donated to AZ Helping Hands, and in accordance with our mission of making chess accessible to all, we offer free lessons at https://chesseffect.org/lessons/.