The National Rapid National Chess Championship was organized by the Crown Trust under the banner of J&K Sports Council and All J&K Chess Association on behalf of AICF at Kangra-Fort, Barnai Jammu, here today.
The grand master Arvind Chidambaram of Tamil Nādu emerged as champion in the National Rapid chess championship. He played some exceptional moves to trounce his very strong opponents including international Master Nubair Sheikh of Maharashtra, who ended up as first runner-up while Grandmaster Mitrabaha Guha of West Bengal settled at second runner-up position.
The Secretary J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull was the chief guest on the occasion. She distributed cash prizes worth Rs four lakhs to the winners of “Rapid” event.
Nuzhat Gull congratulated and appreciated the arrangements of All J&K Chess Association for organizing the championship on professional lines and asked them to host an international event in the summer capital besides inviting players to visit the valley and experience its beauty.
Participants appreciated the efforts of AJKCA for putting adequate arrangements in place during their stay at the venue which they also described as very beautiful.
Around 180 people including 130 players, officials, etc. from 23 states and union territories participated in the championship which also marked the participation of 22 Grandmasters and International Masters.
The “Rapid” event is played with a time control of 15 minutes with 10 seconds increments and “Blitz” event with a time control of 3 minutes and 2 seconds increments per move.
The President of All J&K Chess Association Atul Kumar Gupta, Dr. A S. Bhatia Principal GMC Rajouri, and chairman of the organizing committee of the championship along with senior prosecution officer Raj Kumar, Kuljeet Singh Jamwal, Advocate Himani Kohli, Excise Inspector Vikas Nanda, CA Vikas Dharmania and Industrialist Amit Mahajan Arvindu Sharma and Ritish Pathania were also among the attendees.
While Saleem Beig from Karnataka was the chief arbiter of the championship, Arvind Mahamal from Goa was his deputy. The other arbiters of the championship included Bindu Pathania, Dinesh Gera, Ranjeet Singh, and Mansha Mahajan besides five technical supporters.
Secretary J&K Sports Council while speaking on the occasion said that sports immensely contribute to physical well-being but sport like chess does a world of good to the mental growth of the players and makes them sharp.
She said this year alone the J & K Sports Council under the banner of My Youth My Pride reached more than twenty-five lakh youth with the mission and message to actively participate in sports, hone skills and bring laurels not only to the union territory of J&K but the country as well.
Nuzhat Gull also said that the council shall not limit the sports activities to only current players but is aiming to touch the lives of many athletes and others who have left their active sports life and are now employed in many government departments.
Divulging on the details, Secretary Sports Council said that a comprehensive sports programme for the J&K Government employees has been framed and shall be rolled out soon in a phased manner.
She requested all the departments to actively participate in the events which shall be organized in the games of Cricket, Football, Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton, and Table Tennis.
Meanwhile, the National “Blitz” event of the championship is scheduled to be played tomorrow at the same venue, which carries a prize bounty of rupees two and a half lakh.