Almost 1000 children from 500 schools across the state will be participating in the Mahavir Prasad Morarka Memorial Maharashtra State Schools Chess championships (MSSCC) 2018, to be jointly organized by the South Mumbai Chess Academy & Indian Chess School and will be played at the Hall of Vision, Nehru Centre, Worli, from November 14 to 18, 2018.
This Chess Championship is being conducted to commemorate the birth centenary of M.R. Morarka (1919-2018). The event is being held under the auspices of the Mumbai City District chess Association (MCDCA).
Competition would be conducted for boys and girls in the Under-6, Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 categories. Matches will be played according to the FIDE Laws of Chess and will be played over a total of nine rounds in each category in Swiss League format of 90 minutes per game with 30 seconds increment per move from move one.
SMCA CEO Durga Nagesh Guttula (left) speaks to media persons during a press conference to launch the Maharashtra State School Chess Championship 2018 in Mumbai on Saturday. Also seen are Praful Zaveri (centre), Founder, Indian Chess School and Balaji Guttula, renowned coach & FIDE Master, CMD, SMCA.
The tournament offers a total prize fund of Rs 72,000 for all 12 categories. In addition the top 10 players in each category would be awarded medals and one youngest boy and girl shall be awarded a special medal. A total of 122 medals will be presented to the participants.
Speaking to media persons at the Press Conference on Saturday, tournament director Praful Zaveri, founder of Indian Chess School, said “The competition will serve as the selection trail for the National School Chess Championship that will be held in Darjeeling in April next year.”
India’s sensational chess prodigies Candidate Master Kush Bhagat of American School of Bombay and Suhaani Lohia of Dhirubhai Ambani School will be the some of the favourites to win in this championship.
SMCA CEO Durga Nagesh Guttula informed that the star attraction will be 3-year-old Ayaansh Shah of Harmony Montessori, who turns four next month, will be the youngest participant of the championship. India’s youngest rated chess player Nivaan Khandadia of Vibgyor School, Pune will also be testing his skills.