Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran will spearhead India’s challenge in the first-ever bilateral chess series between India and Israel starting here today.
Apart from Sasikiran, the Indian contingent will also haver Grandmasters Abhijeet Gupta, GN Gopal and B Adhiban.
Israel will represented by Grandmaster Ilia Smirin, GM Vitali Golod, GM Tal Baron and International Master Gil Popilski.
The unique match, an initiative of All India Chess Federation, will be held under the aegis of World Chess Federation and with the support of Embassy of Israel in New Delhi.
The match, will will conclude tomorrow, is being organised as a curtain raiser to this year’s World Chess Championship in Moscow between Indian Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand of Israel.
The match will be spread over three rounds and each player will play against all players of the other country at least once. There will be 12 games in all.
The encounter is also unique in more than one ways as for the first time ever, there will blindfold, rapid and blitz together in a match.
Even though it is friendly game, Sasikiran said he is in no mood to take the encounter lightly.
“It is the first tournament where we are going to play blindfold games. I have never played blindfold before. It is a friendly game but we are taking it very seriously,” he said last night during the opening ceremony.
“But I hope in future we have prize points for such games as it will be motivating for players.”
“It will be a tough match and will provide good training for all of us,” Sasikiran added. (PTI)
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