Big names for chess blitz
CANDIDATE Master (CM) Manoj Kumar and national chess champion CM Taione Sikivou are favourites to take out next weekend’s 2023 National Blitz Chess Championship to be held at the Fiji Olympic House in Suva.
Other ex-Olympiad reps such as CM Ronald Terubea, who is known for aggressive chess, national women’s chess champion Tanvi Prasad of Jai Narayan College, provisional FIDE Master (FM) Rudr Prasad, provisional women’s Candidate Master (WCM) Cydel Terubea, Prashil Prakash, Prashant Sarup and WCM Gloria Sukhu are expected to add to the firebrand nature of the event.
“On behalf of all chess players in Fiji we would like to acknowledge the kind support of Vodafone Fiji which has provided a prize pool of cash and smartphones,” said Fiji Chess Federation general secretary Goru Arvind.
Upcoming under-18 players such as Zayne Elmond Keshwan, Anisha Eshal Bari, nine-year-old Yash Yuvaan Prasad, Ayush Chand of Jai Nayaran College, Ryan Kumar, Anush Shay Chand of Gospel Primary School and Arnav Lal of Deenbandhoo Primary School are highly likely to give stiff competition to senior players.
Additional opposition from talented chess siblings Yash Maharaj and Adarsh Maharaj alongside Austin Koroi and Jacquelyn Masilomani is also expected.
“Blitz is more like a freestyle form of chess where players must manage their base time of five minutes with three seconds per move,” added Arvind.
“It is a format that suits the younger lot as permutations and combinations must be worked out at lightning speed, and it will drill down to who makes the first big mistake under time pressure. In this form of chess, anything is possible.”
The tournament will be held next Saturday from 11am-5pm.