GM Mchedlishvili Mikheil (ELO 2621) of Georgia is the top seed in the tournament organised by Venus Chess Academy followed by GM Amonatov Farrukh (ELO 2609) of Tajikistan, a media release said today.
Players from 16 foreign countries - USA, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Sweden, Sri Lanka Russia, South Africa, Portugal, Poland, Nepal, Indonesia, Georgia, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Bangladesh - will be part of the event which carries Rs 24 lakh in prize money.
GM Sandipan Chanda (ELO 2594) is the highest ranked Indian in fray and he is seeded 3rd seed in the tournament to be held at Thakur College in suburban Kandivli.
This is the first time that the tournament will be played in three categories - Category A for players above the rating of ELO 2000, B for those whose rating is ELO 1999 and below and Category C for the players whose rating is ELO 1599 and below.
