Big fields for U-13 chess nationals

Chennai - The RAMCO 26th National Under-13 Open and Girls Chess Championship is all set to begin here Saturday with two reigning champions from Tamil Nadu in the girls section R. Vaishali (U-11) and C. Lakshmi (U-9) headlining a field of 101 players.

Also in the fray are Woman Candidate Master Savant Riya (Goa) and Woman FIDE Master Bidhar Rutumbara (Odisha) along with Asian bronze medallist C.M.N. Sunyuktha (Tamil Nadu).

In the boys section, top seed V.R. Aravindh Chithambaram of Tamil Nadu will lead the charge in a 186-player draw apart from Aravindh Chithambaram, who had stunned Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua and Woman Grandmaster Mary Ann Gomes in the National Premier Chess Championship at Kolkata last week.

A cash prize fund of Rs.1,75,000 is on offer and the winners in both the sections will be awarded Rs.20,000 each. The tournament will he held under Swiss System of eleven rounds.