Bhubaneswar, Dec 2: The 15th KIIT International Chess Festival was inaugurated today at the KIIT-DU campus. Organised in collaboration with the All India Chess Federation (AICF), the event was held at the Viswanathan Anand International Chess Hall on the KIIT premises.
With a combined prize money of Rs 60 lakhs, the KIIT International Chess Festival is the largest prize tournament in India. It offers 436 prizes across all categories. Over 1,200 players from more than 30 countries are participating, including over 70 international titleholders. The youngest participant is 7 years old, while the oldest is 91.
The tournament was inaugurated by AICF Vice President Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua in the presence of KIIT and KISS Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta; Professor Baljit Singh Sekhon, Joint Secretary (Sports) of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU); G.C. Mohapatra, President of Odisha Chess Association; IM Sekhar Sahu, Tournament Director; Ranjan Mohanty, AICF Member; Professor Saranjit Singh, Vice Chancellor of KIIT; Prof G R Mohanty, Registrar of KIIT; Dr. Gaganendu Dash, DG Sports at KIIT; and.
The festival, scheduled to continue until December 9, features three categories: ‘A,’ ‘B,’ and ‘C.’ This is the first time in India that the international chess tournament is being held simultaneously across three divisions. Category A is open to players from all ratings, with a total prize pool of Rs 30 lakhs. Category B is open for players rated below 1900 rating, with a total prize pool of Rs 15 lakhs while category C is for players rated below 1700 rating, to be held from December 6-9, with a total prize pool of Rs 15 lakhs. On this occasion, Mr. Samanta extended his best wishes to all players and encouraged their effort