Sikkim to host 5th North East FIDE Rating Chess Tournament in Jan 2012

GANGTOK, 13 Dec: Sikkim Chess Association [SCA] is organizing the 5th edition of North East FIDE Rating Chess Tournament- 2012 from 04 to 10 January here at the Paljor Stadium gymnasium hall.
SCA has received this golden opportunity to host this tournament for the first time after the association was formed in 2009 and affiliated with the All India Chess Federation [AICF] in 2010. The prize money of Rs 1 Lakh in the tournament is being sponsored by AICF.

Around 200 players from all the north-eastern states are expected to participate in the tournament, in which Sikkim, being the host state, will alone have around 100 players participating.
SCA general secretary, Mahendra Dhakal, who is also an international arbiter, mentioned that to hold this tournament is a big thing and opportunity for the SCA considering that it has just been 2 years since its formation and the association is working hard to make this tournament a grand success.
“Another aim to organize this tournament is to ensure maximum participation from the state to create more FIDE Rating players in the state as the development of chess in Sikkim totally depends upon the numbers of FIDE players in the state,” he said.
At present Sikkim has three FIDE players; Class VIII student of Tadong SSS, Rakesh Gurung [1762], Leela Prasad Acharya [1680] of South Sikkim and Phurba Bhutia [1568] of Gangtok.
Mr Dhakal informed that the prize money of the tournament is being sponsored by the AICF for the development of the sport in the north-eastern region.
The tournament will follow the Swiss League System and will have two international arbiters for the tournament. The association is also trying to bring one of India’s international players for the tournament to encourage local players.
Mr Dhakal mentioned that chess is now developing and becoming popular in the state at present and added that earlier the local people played chess just for recreation but now they are serious and participation in tournaments has increased.
At present, Manipur and Assam are leading in the North-Eastern region as many of their players have taken to chess professionally.
The members of the state team have been undergoing a SCA coaching camp in order to perform well in the tournament to create more FIDE Rating players from Sikkim.
Following its formation, a team of SCA represented Sikkim in the 4th edition of this tournament held at Shillong, in which one of its players, Sushmita won a silver medal and likewise, in the 3rd edition of this tournament in Tripura, Deeraj Mani Rai has secured the third position.