The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister’s Trophy will begin on September 18 and feature 500 players from 15 countries.
Dispatch News.
Under the guidance and patronage of the All India Chess Federation, Sports and Youth Welfare, Chhattisgarh Olympic Association, and Chhattisgarh State Chess Association, the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister’s Trophy International Grandmasters Chess tournament will be held on a large scale for the first time in 20 years from September 18 to September 28 in Raipur. Around 500 chess legends from 15 countries will participate. In the press conference of this event, Gurcharan Singh Hora, General Secretary of Chhattisgarh Olympic Association and Chief Patron of State Chess Federation, Vinod Rathi, General Secretary Chhattisgarh State Chess Federation, Hemant Khute, Executive Secretary General Chhattisgarh State Chess Federation, Chief Minister’s Trophy Chief Coordinator Soumya Batra were present.
Gurcharan Singh Hora said that this tournament was organized very successfully in 2002. After two decades, it will be a milestone for chess players. He further said that this event is an opportunity for the rated players of the country and the chance to improve their rating and get GM and IM Norm and Title.
There is still a lack of events of this level in the country where high-rated players can play on one platform. Hence, Indian players have to go to European countries to get international titles, due to which players have to live under immense economic stress and pressure, and many talents cannot participate.
Apart from the trophy, the winner will get prize money of Rs 35 lakh. The competition has two categories – Masters and Challengers. 23 lakh in the Masters category and Rs 12 lakh in Challengers. At the same time, this tournament will cost about Rs. 1 crore 75 lakh.
The CM Trophy features players from 15 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, the United States, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Poland, Vietnam, Colombia, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Nepal.
The Masters’ category competition will be at Hotel Grand Imperia, and the Challengers category competition will be at Shagun Farm, VIP Road, Raipur. The competition has ten rounds, with only one match played each day beginning at 3 p.m. The Challengers, on the other hand, will compete at Shagun Farm. Every day between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., players will be able to play two rounds.
The tournament, so far, includes 16 Grandmasters, 17 International Masters, 02 Women Grandmasters, 08 Women International Masters, 05 FIDE Masters, and 200 Elo Rated players. The registration deadline is September 12, and more prominent players may attend.
The All India Chess Association has appointed international judge Swapnil Bansod of Maharashtra as a chief judge; Assistant General Manager of Bhilai Steel Plant and international judge Alankar Bhivgade will serve as deputy chief judge. Twenty experienced judges from various states of the country will assist them.
Selected 50 games from these events will be broadcast live daily through the world’s leading chess site. The responsibility for this rests with Sri Anand Babu, the international judge of Tamil Nadu, who made a world record by successfully telecasting 700 live games at the 44th World Chess Olympiad.
