Port Blair, Nov. 26: The A&N State Open Rapid Chess Championship 2023 organised by Andaman Nicobar Chess Association (ANCA) commenced this morning (26.11.2023) at Marine Workshop Hall Building, ITI Campus, Dolly Gunj. This is the largest chess tournament ever organised in the A&N Islands with a record-breaking participation of 260 chess players participating with great enthusiasm.
This championship will be held for two days on 26th & 27th Nov. over nine rounds in Rapid mode and will serve as selection event for the upcoming national Rapid Chess Championship scheduled to be held in Punjab.
Smti. M V Jolly, Deputy Director Education (Perl/ Academic/ Controlling officer Sports) Directorate of Education graced the opening ceremony as the chief guest and made the ceremonial first move on the top board against P Tata Rao, the top seed of the event to kick start the championship in the presence of Shri. D.N Choudhary, Principal ITI, Shri. Mohd. Irshad, Asst. Director (Sports), Shri. Denis Giles, Editor, Andaman Chronicle & Shri. Sunil, Proprietor, Green Ocean who graced the occasion as the distinguished guests for the event.
The chief guest was overjoyed to see such large turnout in the tournament and reiterated that steps are also being taken by the Education Department to promote chess in the Govt. Schools and assured all possible help from the department to promote chess among school children.
Earlier Shri. C.S, Ashok president ANCA, while welcoming the gathering, highlighted the recent achievements and vision of ANCA and advocated chess-in-school (CiS) programme in the schools of A & N Islands for the benefit of budding school children.