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International chess meet in city

By Sports reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 13 � The city will witness the Asom International Open FIDE Rating Chess Tournament from April 2 to 7.

All Assam Chess Association (AACA) along with Kamrup District (R) Chess Association will jointly organise the championship while Cotton College Union Society will offer support to the coveted event. The organisers have decided to host the meet at the Dr T Ao Indoor Stadium, Cotton College.

Tournament director Debabrata Saikia and AACA president Rajib Kumar Bora while explaining about the championship in a press conference here today said that around 500 players, including players from countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Hungary, will be seen in action in the six-day meet which will be a 10-round affair. They said that four Grand Masters � Subhajit Saha, Himangshu Saha, Prabin Tipsy, one Hungarian and five International Masters � have confirmed their participation. An amount of Rs 4 lakh is at stake as prize-money in the championship for which a budget of Rs 14 lakh has been prepared.

Rajib Bora said, �Assam has made a tremendous development in this sport and some of the State players have been able to earn laurels from international events.� He, however, stressed on making chess compulsory in schools like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. Saikia promised all possible help for the championship from State Level Advisory Committee for Sports and Students Welfare.

Young players Manthan Kashyap Dutta and Sahil Dey were felicitated and presented Rs 5000 each by the State chess body for their achievements in international tournaments recently.

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