Team Herald
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PANJIM: The Goa Chess Association has confirmed the participation of Goa’s first Grandmaster Anurag Mhamal for the Goa’s first GM tournament, scheduled from October 13 to 20 at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Bambolim.
Anurag will be 13th seed in the main battle in A category and will be joined by FM Amey Audi 32nd seed, FM Nitish Belurkar 42nd seed and Woman Grandmaster Bhakti Kulkarni, who is seeded 46.
“This is my first major event in Goa after I became a GM and definitely I shall try and give my best in the championship to make Goa proud,” said Goa’s first GM Anurag Mhamal.
“We are proud to have these players participation in the elite category and we are hoping the players will make us proud. We wish them all the best along with the other players participation in the other two categories,” said GCA Secretary and tournament director Kishor Bandekar.
Goa’s Bhat Anirudh is the top seed in B category with a tournament rating of 1942 and in C category Goa’s Parth Salvi is on 5th seed with 1542 rating. This maiden grandmaster event has attracted record participation for any chess event in Goa.
“We have received 903 entries so far in all three categories and we are hoping to close on above 1200 entries,” concluded Bandekar.
“The Goan chess players have always made us proud in the past. Their efforts shall always be remembered and I believe they will make the most out of the GM hampionship in Goa. We wish all our Goans player a good luck and they will do well at their home ground,” said Goa Chess Association President Nilesh Cabral.
