Candidate Master (CM) Manoj Kumar has triumphed at the FWCC Fiji National Chess Championship 2025, which wrapped up on Sunday at the University of the South Pacific’s (USP) Laucala Campus in Suva after five days of intense competition. The championship, sponsored by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC), showcased the nation’s finest chess talents across four categories: Open, Women’s, Secondary School, and Primary School.
CM Manoj Kumar demonstrated exceptional skill, finishing with a notable score of 8 out of 9, which placed him ahead of the joint runners-up, CM Goru Arvind and CM Rudr Prasad, both concluding with scores of 7 out of 9. The competition highlighted other remarkable performances, including Lionel Vaurasi from Yat Sen Primary School, who earned fourth place by finishing with 6.5 out of 9 points, showcasing his ability to compete effectively against more experienced players.
In the Women’s Category, WCM Tanvi Prasad emerged victorious, securing first place with a score of 6.5 out of 9, followed closely by Useli Herath and Vimansa Dissanayake, who both achieved scores of 5 out of 9. The Secondary School Category saw Ayaan Chand from Jai Narayan College taking first on tie-break from his peers Rajartha Weerasekara and Praveer Singh, all finishing with 6 out of 9. Meanwhile, Yanick Khatri from Yat Sen Primary claimed the top spot in the Primary School Category with 5 out of 9, followed by Chanuga Aponsu and Blake Lee-Jamnadas.
A highlight of the event was the Best Upset Award, which went to Peter Ricardo for his surprising victory over a senior player rated 1739 points higher than him. Hilda Kunau, President of the Fiji Chess Federation, expressed her congratulations to all participants and extended gratitude to the FWCC for their commitment to promoting chess in Fiji. “This year’s National Championship demonstrated not only the strength of Fiji’s top players but also the promising talents in our juniors and women’s divisions,” Kunau remarked, emphasizing the positive impact of such events on the local chess community.
The event concluded with a festive awards ceremony, celebrating the competitive spirit and camaraderie displayed throughout the tournament. As Fiji continues to foster its chess culture, the success of players such as Kumar and the enthusiasm shown in events like these inspire hope and anticipation for the future of chess in the region.
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