Chennai, Jun 10 (IANS): To celebrate the Olympic-style Torch Relay to be held for the 44th Chess Olympiad, the All-India Chess Federation (AICF) will organise an International Open Rapid Chess Tournament on June 19 at the Indira Gandhi International Stadium in Delhi.
The one-day tournament, to be held at the Indira Gandhi International Stadium in New Delhi, will have a prize pool of Rs 10 lakh and will also be graced by the five-time World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand.
Earlier this week, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) introduced an Olympic-style Torch Relay at the Chess Olympiad starting from this year's edition, scheduled in Mahabalipuram near Chennai from July 28 to August 10.
The winner of the one-day International Open Rapid Chess Tournament will take home a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh while the second and third-placed players will win Rs 60,000 and Rs 40,000 respectively. In all the tournament will have 20 cash prizes in five rating categories - Below 1200, Below 1400, Below 1600, Below 1800, and Below-2000.
Apart from that, there will be cash prizes for age group categories (U-7, U-9, U-11, U-13 and U-15) for boys and girls, and for a special category where it will be given to the Best Female Players of the Tournament, above the age of 15 years.
"It's time for the celebration of this huge honour and it can't be done in a better way than by inviting players across all age groups and the chess community together on one platform. We look forward to a great response from players for this tournament," said AICF Secretary and Olympiad Director Bharat Singh Chauhan.
FIDE has also named India, a land the sport of chess originated some 1500 years ago, as the starting flame point for the Torch Relay in every Olympiad.
"As the countdown begins for the Chess Olympiad, this tournament will set the tone and create a buzz before the Olympiad Torch travels across the country. We want every Indian to be part of this historic moment. This tournament will also offer a platform for Indian players to showcase their skills and to also meet the legend of the game," AICF President Sanjay Kapoor was quoted as saying in a release.
The tournament will be open for everyone across the globe as interested players can register themselves at: http://forms.gle/gTpk3nT9jHqFMGDZA with the entries closing on June 16 at 6 pm (IST). The event will be played in a nine-round Swiss League format with an entry fee of Rs 200.