The Battle for 30 Lakh Rs Prize Pool, International Exposure, additional Rating points, Title norms and much more at the 60th National Chess Championship 2023

The 60th National Chess Championship 2023 kicked off on Thursday with a lot of excitement and drama. The prestigious tournament, which offers a prize pool of 30 lakh rupees, international exposure, additional rating points for the leader, title norms and more, attracted some of the best chess players in the country. The top six finishers will also get to represent India in international events and receive nominations from AICF.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Bharat Singh Chahuan, the Deputy President of Asian Chess Federation, Hon’ble Chairman of FIDE Advisory Board and Secretary of AICF. He announced that despite the withdrawal of MPL as the sponsor due to some internal issues, AICF has stepped in to ensure the smooth conduct of the tournament. 

The first day of the championship saw some expected wins and some surprising draws. Six-time national champion and one of the favorites, GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly 2583 (PSPB), faced a brief scare against Mitul K H (KAR) 1688 when the latter played Bb5 on move 25. The engine suggests that Bd3 would have maintained a decisive advantage for white, but with less time on the clock, it was not easy to calculate everything. However, after exchanging queens and bishops, Ganguly showed his endgame mastery and converted the game into a win.

Some of the young talents also made their presence felt by holding higher-rated opponents to draws. IM ShyamNikhil P (2467) was unable to break through the defense of Pranav Akula (1699), IM Aronyak Ghosh (2538) was frustrated by Makwana Ashvin K (1680), and IM Sidhant Mohapatra (2420) had to settle for a half point against AFM Shubhi Gupta (1653).

The championship promises to be an exciting and competitive event, with many more rounds to go. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis from the 60th National Chess Championship 2023.