Bhubaneswar, Jan 25: As many as nine Grand Masters and 24 International Masters from across the world will arrive at the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) campus here in Odisha to take part in the first SOA International Grand Masters Chess Festival, scheduled to begin on January 28, the organizers said on Thursday.

Breifing a press conference here, AOCA president Gobinda Chandra Mohapatra said the tournament, which will have a total prize money of Rs. 35 lakh, is being organised by the All Odisha Chess Association (AOCA) with SOA’s support. The International Chess Federation (ICF), All India Chess

Federation (AICF), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Odisha government are backing the event, informed AOCA president Gobinda Chandra Mohapatra.

SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda said it was for the first time that the university was organizing an international sports event. “Our efforts are aimed at making SOA a chess hub,” he said.

Around 800 chess players from at least 14 different countries are expected to take part in the 8-day tournament, AOCA president Mohapatra said while praising SOA for extending support to the event.

Mohapatra said the participants will be split into three categories-A, B and C with category ‘A’ having a total prize money of Rs. 20 lakh. Category ‘B’ and ‘C’ will have prize money of Rs. 7.5 lakh each.

Some of the finest chess minds from Denmark, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Belarus, Egypt, Philippines, Russia, Kazhakstan, Zambia, Nepal and hosts India will participate in the tournament, Mohapatra added.

Mohapatra said as many as four Grand Masters, eight International Masters, one woman Grand Master and three women International Masters from foreign countries are expected to feature in the tournament. From India, five Grand Masters, 16 International Masters and six women International Masters have entered the fray, he said. 

The top three seeded players of the tournament are Indian Grand Master Diptayan Ghosh (2568 ELO Points), Indian International Master Aronyak Ghosh (2541 ELO Points) and Grand Master Fawzy Adham of Egypt (2522 ELO Points).

The top three women players to have entered the event are Woman Grand Master Frayna J. Mae of Philippines (2197 ELO Points), Woman International.

Master Arpita Mukherjee of India (2186 ELO Points) and Woman FIDE Master Nilssen E. Federica of Denmark (2184 ELO Points), he said.
The tournament will be conducted as per latest FIDE rules of Chess and FIDE Swiss system with 10 rounds in Category ‘A’ and ‘B’ and 9 rounds in Category‘C’.

 All players who have registered with the All India Chess Federation (AICF) for the 2023-24 financial year and have an ELO Rating of 1900 or more will be eligible to take part in the tournament. The foreign players will require a valid FIDE ID for participation, AOCA Secretary of AOCADebabrata Bhatta, , said.

The tournament will end on February 4 with the prize distribution ceremony. Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, SOA’s Dean (Students’ Welfare), Shankar Prasad
Mishra, Treasurer, AOCA, Mr. Muktikanta Mohapatra, Foreign Liasioning Officer,

AOCA and International Deputy Arbiter Tapas Mohanty was, among others, present at the conference.

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