National Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2019 is inaugurated, today, at Lovely Professional University (LPU) Campus. Jalandhar Chess Association has been organizing this four-day championship under the aegis of Punjab State Chess Association & All India Chess Federation up to 28th May 2019. In this LPU hosted event, 112 top players from 23 states of India are all set to reveal the best chess-skills in checking their opponents. The list of players includes 7 Grand Masters; 3 Woman Grand Masters; 11 International Master; 1 Woman International Master; 6 FIDE Masters. In both Rapid and Blitz competitions of the event, 11 rounds for each will be played.Inaugurating the national chess event, Joint Secretary of All India Chess Federation (AICF) Naresh Sharma expressed his enthralling happiness on the management skills of the host LPU by making superb arrangements in all means for smooth conduction of the championship. He shared: “We all are very happy to see the leadership quality in all endeavours made for event arrangements at LPU. Right from a gateman at the entry to other ranks at LPU, all have provided us the nicest possible environ for world-class competition. We are literally impressed and thinking to organize a larger chess tournament at LPU campus, in near future.
Welcoming all guests and participants, LPU Additional Director Mr Aman Mittal quoted ‘Chess’ as a “fantabulous” game, where much of concentration and confidence is required. He also shared: “Whatever LPU undertakes, all at LPU join hands to accomplish that with their hearts. We would even like to host World Chess Championship and Commonwealth Competitions at LPU.” Also present on this occasion were President J&K Chess Association Atul Kumar; Secretary, Punjab State Chess Association, Muneesh Thapar; and, Sr Vice President of Jalandhar Chess Association Rajinder Jee.According to Chief Arbiter from Pune Shidore Rajendra I A, participating seven Grand Masters at the championship are Sengupta Deep with rating 2487, Arvindh Chithambram (2478), Laxman R R (2429), Sri Ram Jha (2401), Thipsay Praveen (2325), Neelotpal Das (2312), and Visakh N R (2268); and, 3 Woman Grand Masters are Kulkarni Bhakti (2318), Swati Ghate (2227) and Meenakshi Subbaraman (2093).One of the promising chess players of India (from Jalandhar of Punjab), who is merely seven years old, Amaira Mittal is very happy that such a high-ranked chess championship is being held at Jalandhar. A student at St Joseph Convent Girls School (Jalandhar), Amaira with rating of 1087 has practised very hard. She also shared: “Playing along with so many Grandmasters has bestowed a great confidence in me, and this participation means much to me.”