Around 400 young players from 15 districts participate in International Chess Day Rapid Tournament
Kolkata: Bengal has officially begun preparations to host the Chess Olympiad for the first time, announced FIDE Trainer and President of the Bengal Chess Association, Atanu Lahiri, during a one-day Rapid Chess Tournament organised to mark International Chess Day.
The tournament, jointly organised by the BJP Sports Cell, West Bengal, and the Bengal Chess Association at Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra, witnessed the participation of nearly 400 chess players from 15 districts across the state. The inaugural ceremony was attended by West Bengal Labour Minister Bhaskar Bhattacharya, 2018 Asian Games Bridge gold medallist Pranab Bardhan, and BJP Sports Cell Chief Dipankar Modak.
Trophies and cash prizes were awarded to the winners in the Under-7, Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, and Under-15 boys’ and girls’ categories.
Speaking on the occasion, Atanu Lahiri said that the Chess Olympiad is scheduled to be held in November this year. The first phase of the event will focus on children from underprivileged sections of society, with priority being given to participants from the eastern states of India.
Saket Mohta, Managing Director of the Merlin Group, the principal patron of the tournament, said, “Merlin Group has always supported sports that contribute to the holistic development of children, and we are proud to be associated with this initiative.”
