KOLKATA: The city is ready to welcome leading lights of world chess in action as the country's biggest international rapid and blitz event returns to Kolkata later this month. The event, which was postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be held at Bhasha Bhawan inside the National Library of India from November 17-21.
However, Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi will not be part of the event this time as the two are preparing for the upcoming World championship clash scheduled to be held in Dubai from November 24. Many of the top European players too would not be able to make it as they are busy playing in the European championship. Yet, the tournament will feature top international Super GMs like American Levon Aronian, member of US gold-medal winning Chess Olympiad squad member Sam Shankland, former World Blitz and reigning Asian champion Vietnamese Le Quang Liem and former World junior champion Parham Maghsadloo of Iran.
While World No. 10 Aronian will be back for the third time in the city, the other GMs will make their maiden appearances.
The Indian contingent will feature two female players in Harika Dronavalli and R Vaishali, apart from GM Vidit Gujrathi, who is also returning after 2019. GMs Bhaskaran Adhiban and Karthikeyan Murali will also feature in the meet. However, it's the young Indian brigade that is expected to hog the limelight. The field includes GMs Nihal Sarin, D Gukesh, Raunak Sadhwani, R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi. Multiple World champion Viswanathan Anand will be present in a new role not as a player but as mentor to the youngsters this time.
The 14-player all-play-all tournament is divided into rapid and blitz formats. The former will see 10 players fight it out over the first three days while the two-day blitz event will be a 10-player double round robin format.
