Che International Chess Festival, organised jointly by Kerala and Cuba, to be held in Thiruvananthapuram
By Rashmi Kuttan | First Published Nov 10, 2023, 9:04 AM ISTThe Che International Chess Festival jointly organized by Kerala and Cuba, will begin on November 16 in Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Chess Festival at the Jimmy George Indoor Stadium.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Che International Chess Festival, jointly organized by Kerala and Cuba will begin on November 16 in Thiruvananthapuram. Chess tournaments are organized in the name of Che Guevara. The program is held for five days, from November 16 to November 20. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Chess Festival at the Jimmy George Indoor Stadium. The opening day's matches will be played at the Jimmy George Stadium and the subsequent days' matches will be played at a specially equipped venue at the Hyatt Regency.
64 talented players from Kerala who have achieved remarkable victories in various competitions will showcase their skills. The event will also witness the participation of esteemed Grandmasters from Cuba, International Masters, and Indian Grandmasters. The competition is jointly organized by the state sports council and the Sports Kerala Foundation, promising an exciting battle of wits and strategies on the chessboard.
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During the Chief Minister's visit to Cuba in June, an agreement was reached to collaborate with Cuba in sports, marking the beginning of a fruitful partnership. As a part of this collaboration, the Che International Chess Festival has been launched, representing the first sports initiative between the two nations.
Chess competitions have been organized in 14 districts across the state as part of the festival. The winners of these district-level competitions, along with the champions of the U-16 and U-19 state chess championships, will have the exciting opportunity to compete against skilled players from both Cuba and India. The festival also includes a highly anticipated match between the globally renowned Indian player Praggnanandhaa and Kerala's own chess prodigy, Nihal Sarin.
Special workshops led by experienced players and coaches from both Cuba and India will be conducted for the chess enthusiasts of Kerala. The opening day will witness four Cuban and Indian Grandmasters competing simultaneously with the 64 winners of various competitions in Kerala.
The second day of the festival will feature rapid and blitz matches between teams from Cuba and Kerala. The matches will be displayed on a large LED screen for the public to enjoy, and there will be live streaming available for enthusiasts worldwide. Three Grandmasters and one International Master from Cuba, along with one Grandmaster, two International Masters, and one FIDE Master from Kerala, will participate in these high-energy matches.
On the third day, a morning match between Kerala and Cuba is scheduled, followed by a chess training workshop led by two international masters in the afternoon. The fourth day will feature a special class for children conducted by chess grandmaster and trainer RB Ramesh. The fifth and final day will witness Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin facing off in two rapid and one blitz matches, followed by matches against 16 selected young chess players from Kerala. The festival will culminate with a closing ceremony where the talented chess players will be felicitated for their achievements, marking the successful conclusion of this exciting and enriching chess extravaganza.
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