Sandipan Chanda top seed in Rs 20-lakh prize money chess

More than 300 leading chess players, representing 17 countries, including hosts India, would take part in the Rs 20-lakh prize money 2nd IIFL Wealth Mumbai International Chess Tournament commencing here on December 26.
Former world champions Vishwanathan Anand is the brand ambassador for the nine-day tournament, which incorporates a Grandmaster's event and a junior event for Under-13 children, it was announced at a media conference today.
The event is to be held at the Mount Litera School International at BKC, Bandra, and the countries being represented are Armenia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Egypt, England, France, Hungary, India, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

The tournament would see 16 Grandmasters, 4 Women Grandmasters and 11 International Masters vying for a purse of Rs 12 lakh, while the juniors event has a prize fund of Rs 8 lakh.
Besides cash prizes, players will have an opportunity to earn GM/IM norm and title.
Grandmaster Sandipan Chanda of India - with a rating of 2593 - will be the top seed in the tournament.

The other GMs in fray are Diptayan Ghosh (India), David Alberto (Italy), Bernadskiy Vitaliy, Sivuk Vitaly, Tukhaev Adam, Neverrov Valerriy (all from Ukraine), Movsziszian Karen (Armenia), Malakhatko Vadim (Belgium), Horvath Adam, Czebe Attila (both Hungary), Deviatkin Andrei (Russia), Stopa Jacek (Poland), Ankit Rajpara (India), Hesham Abdelrahman (Egypt) and S Roy Chowdhury (India).

The women's titled players will be led by WGM Toma Katarzyna (Poland), while WGM Bhakti Kulkarni and WGM Nisha Mohota will spearhead India's challenge.
The favourite for the juniors title is Candidate Master D Gukesh of India and he will be challenged by FIDE Master Mohammed Rahman of Bangladesh.
The other titled players in action are Candidate Master Aditya Mittal, FIDE Master Nouri Alekhine of Philippines and Women's Candidate Master Nilomi Desai of England.
The event is being organised by Indian Chess School under the aegis of World Chess Federation (FIDE), Sports Authority of India, All India Chess Federation, Maharashtra Chess Association and Mumbai Suburban District Chess Association.