Anya Seth Syed, aged 14, a Grade 8 student of Greenwood High International School stood 1st in the U-1400 FIDE rating category of the Prague Open Chess Tournament held recently at the Czech Republic. The event consisted of 104 participants from around the world. Anya played 18 matches against players from Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, USA, India, Austria and Norway and scored 6.5 out of 9 winning 4 and drawing 5 matches to emerge as a winner in the category. She also secured 6th position in the U-2000 category and proved her brilliance in the game by remaining unbeaten at the 19th International Prague Open Chess Tournament. With her recent success, her current rating stands at 1715 FIDE Elo globally.
Anya was introduced to chess at the age of 8. She started playing chess as a sports elective in Greenwood High. Her first achievement was when she stood 3rd at the state level in the U-9 state championship. She has competed in several state championships of Karnataka and in all these tournaments she has always managed to stay in the top 10. In 2019, Anya came 2nd in the state U-15 championship and was selected to represent Karnataka in the national championship. Her next big achievement in the same year was when she represented the ICSE schools in the prestigious School Games Federation of India. Her team came 2nd and she stood first and won a gold medal for her board. Anya currently aims to be at the IM level in the coming years.
Elated with her recent achievement, Anya said “The experience of playing at an international level was priceless. It gave me all the exposure to international players at a senior level, their approach to games has been an enriching experience. Participating in such events challenges also helps me in striking a balance between my studies and chess. I owe my success to my parents, teachers and my school who have constantly supported me and have motivated me to push my boundaries.”
Commenting on Anya’s achievement in the game of chess, Ms. Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School said: “Keeping up with her school’s tradition of high excellence and achievements, Anya makes us feel proud on achieving a global rank in the International Chess Festival at the Czech Republic. Her stunning performance with international competitors has proven that she is a world chess champion in the making.”