Chess activities resume after Covid break

Nagpur, Feb 10

Here is some good news for chess players. The activities that were suspended after surge in Covid cases in the State have once again resumed. Maharashtra Chess Association (MCA) has allotted the State Under-10 tournament to Orange City.

After some relaxations in the curbs, The Nashik District Chess Association under the auspices of Maharashtra Chess Association (MCA) is conducting State Selection Open as well as Women Chess Championship on February 19 and 20 at Nashik. From this tournament, four men and four women will be selected to represent Maharashtra in the National Championship. It can be mentioned here that the 58th Senior National Chess Championship and 47th National Women's Chess Championship will be held at Bhubaneswar from February 25 to March 3.

It is learnt that due to time constraints, the state selection trials at Nashik would be conducted in a rapid format.

After Nashik event, the sub-junior tournament that was originally scheduled to be held at Nandurbar will now conduced at Akola from February 26 to 28.The MCA has already conducted State Junior Tournament at Jalgaon in December.

After the formation of MLC Parinay Fuke led Maharashtra Chess Association, the first state-level Under-10 tournament will be conducted in the city by Chess Association of Nagpur (CAN). Originally this tournament was scheduled from March 25 to 30 in the city but due to fresh Covid restrictions, all the nationals were postponed and the fresh date of the tournament is yet to be decided.

Speaking with Lokmat Times CAN secretary Bhushan Shriwas said, “ This will be our first state selection tournament since the formation of CAN. We are quite upbeat to organise it in the city. We are waiting for the new dates from the State association. We will try our best to make it successful”, he said.

MCA secretary Niranjan Godbole has also expressed satisfaction that the chess activities are resuming gradually. “ After the announcement of nationals, we are also geared up. Our priority is to hold the selection tournaments within the stipulated time so that our players will be able to represent Maharashtra at the nationals”, he said.

CAN already hold dist selection tournaments

Chess Association of Nagpur (CAN) has already conducted the district selection tournaments before fresh Covid curbs came into effect. As far as State women's tournament is concered, Vedika Pal, Vritka Game, Avni Hirde and Vidhi Mishrikotkar were selected. In open category Muktanannd Penesey, Sai Sharma, Soham Ranade and Kaustubh Lokhande will represent Nagpur district at Nashik event.

In the district sub-junior championship Nilay Kulkarni, Dushank Bajaj, Saksham Singh and Sai Sharma among the boys and Rashmika M, Vedika Pal, Lakshita Rathod and Shraddha Bajaj among the girls were already selected to represent Nagpur district in the state tournament.