Anand to lead strong Indian team in FIDE online chess championship

Five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand will lead joint champion India in the second FIDE online rapid chess championship to be held from September 8 to 15.

FILE PHOTO: In the first leg, ten teams will compete and two will qualify and thereafter a knockout format has been decided by FIDE, the apex chess body. (In Pic: Vishwanathan Anand)

Five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand will lead joint champion India in the second FIDE online rapid chess championship to be held from September 8 to 15.

The team comprises Anand, Vidit Gujrathi, P. Harikrishna, Nihal Sarin, R. Praggnanandhaa, K. Humpy, D Harika, Bhakti Kulkarni, R. Vaishali and B. Savitha Shri. Grandmaster Abhijit Kunte will be the non-playing vice-captain..

The team, sponsored by IT major Microsense, will be staying in a five-star hotel in Chennai during the course of the championship.

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All India Chess Federation president Sanjay Kapoor explained the move to get the team under one roof for an online event as, “a step to provide a healthy atmosphere where the team members get along well.”

AICF secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan said, “we are working on different levels to bring more benefits to the game to make India the No. 1 chess-playing nation in the world.”