PANJIM: The Goa Chess Association is set to host its first Goa International Open Grandmasters chess Tournament, in association with All India Chess Federation, at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium Bambolim, Goa from October 13 to 20.

“The stage is set and we are all prepared to host the games. This is our first major event in the State and we are excited to host the event. We opened the event registrations last week and we have received 27 entries so far of which 14 Grandmasters have registered for the tournament thus confirming their participation,” said All India Chess Federation Treasurer Kishor Bandekar, who also holds the post of Secretary at the Goa Chess Association.

The 27 registered players are all-foreign players from 15 different countries while more are expected to join in days to come.

“We opened our registrations but we are expecting over 1500 players to register in this tournament in the coming days in all the three different categories. 

The interested players should register their entries on our website www.gmgoa.com,” added Shri Krishor Bandekar.

The championship is divided in three different categories with a total prize money of Rs. 34,00,000.

Secretary of All India Chess Federation Bharat Singh Chauhan, during his visit to Goa had announced the tournament in October 2018 according to FIDE timetable.

Ukrainian Grandmaster Martyn Kravtsiv (2654 ratings), who earlier competed at the FIDE World Cup in 2013 is the top rated so far in the lot followed by Russia’s Popov Ivan (2609), the winner of 2015 European Rapid Chess Championship in Minsk.

In 2006, Popov won the Vanya Somov Memorial – Young Stars of the World tournament in Kirishi and was the Russian junior (U-20) champion in 2007. 

He also won the World U-18 Championship and finished runner-up in the World Junior Chess Championship.

Mchedlishvili Mikheil from Georgia, Russia’s Kryakvin Dmitry and Burmakin Vladimir, Ukrainian Bernadskiy Vitaliy, Sivuk Vitaly, Neverov Valeriy and Tukhaev Adam, Dutch Tiviakov Sergei, Armenian Ter-Sahakyan Samvel, Kadric Denis from Bosnia, Malakhatko Vadim from Belgium, Rahman Ziaur from Bangladesh are the other Grandmasters to feature in the seven-day tournament which will be supported by Indian Super League Club FC Goa.

Many more renowned international grand masters are expected to participate in the tournament.