Candidate Master (CM) Rudr Prasad claimed back-to-back titles at the Fiji Chess Federation September Rapid Championship, which was held at University of the South Pacific (USP) Laucala Campus on Saturday.
The competition drew a strong field of 51 participants of all ages and ended with an outstanding victory for Prasad, who secured his second consecutive tournament win.
Prasad, a 20-year-old Bachelor of Software Engineering student at USP, displayed remarkable consistency and skill throughout the event, securing an impressive 6.5 points out of a possible 7.
Following closely behind Prasad was Ronald Terubea, who delivered an impressive performance with a score of 5.5/7.
Yash Maharaj and Kartik Chandra also demonstrated strong play, finishing third and fourth respectively.
In the Female Category, Women Candidate Master (WCM) Cydel Terubea stood out with an outstanding score of 6/7, marking the second-highest performance in the entire tournament.
Gloria Sukhu, Useli Herath, and Latileta Masau were among the top female performers.
The youth categories showcased the depth of talent within Fiji’s chess community, with Zayne Elmond and Yajas Sharma emerging as champions in their respective age divisions.
Kristy Fong, the General Secretary and Tournament Organiser of the Fiji Chess Federation, commended the tournament’s success and the high level of competition witnessed.
She expressed optimism for the future of chess in Fiji, noting the growing number of talented young players making their mark in the sport.
“We witnessed some truly inspiring games this weekend. Rudr continues to impress with his back-to-back wins, and Cydel’s performance was equally remarkable,” said Fong.
“The future of chess in Fiji looks very bright with so many young players rising through the ranks.”
She added the September Rapid Tournament not only highlighted individual brilliance but also underscored the Federation’s commitment to fostering chess across all age groups, from primary school to veterans.
