Mumbai boys Bhaven, Hriday win bronze at World Schools Chess Championships 2017

Mumbai: Two local boys, Bhaven Shah and Hriday Sheth, set a record for India by winning a bronze medal each in the blitz format of the World Schools Chess Championships 2017.

The tournament concluded at Lasi, Romania, on Sunday. Both the boys are trainees at the South Mumbai Chess Academy (SMCA), according to a release from the academy.

Shah, a Std XI student of Dhirubhai Ambani School, scored five out of possible seven points in the U- 17 category.

He held some of the top rated players, including the national champion of Peru, Quirhuayo Chumbe (2028 ELO points), to draws on his way to a podium finish.

Another city chess player Sheth, a fourth standard student in the DY Patil School, scored 5.5 points out of possible seven.

A total 99 budding chess players from 15 countries took part in the championship, the release added.

Coach FM Balaji Guttula was happy that Indians are showing their mettle in the shorter formats of the game, too.

"Now Indian chess players are not just dominating the standard format, but in blitz and rapid too, which is a great news for all of us," Guttula said.

"This is due to the awareness of the game and improved quality of training to our kids, this number is going to be doubled in the coming days," he added.