New Delhi (04 Sep 10):- International Master and Grandmaster norm holder Sahaj Grover starts as the top seed and will also lead the city’s challenge in the 36th National Sub-Junior Chess Championship that starts here at Kulachi Hansraj Model School.

In the girls’ 27th National Sub-Junior Chess Championship J Saranya of Tamil Nadu has got the top billing and its going to be a close contest in the 100 players’ field.

Grover, who made his maiden Grandmaster norm last year during the Kolkata International open is one of the up and coming talents of the country in line to become a Grandmaster in near future. The class IX student of the host school came back home only this morning after a training session abroad to take part in the prestigious championship that has been won by world champion Viswanathan Anand and Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi in the past amongst others.

A total of 172 participants, that include 125 International rated players in the open category and 100 in the girls section from across the country are participating in this 11 round events played under FIDE’s Swiss rules.

Amongst the leading contestants in the open section are former World Youth Chess Championships Gold Medalists and second seed Girish A Koushik of Karnataka and third seed Sayantan Das of West Bengal who have it in them to beat the best on their day.

P V Nandhidhaa of Tamil Nadu and Pratyusha Bodda of Andhra Pradesh are amongst those who will have title aspirations in the girls’ section.

Earlier, in a colourful opening ceremony, Shri. Harishankar Gupta, MLA inaugurated the event by making the first move against Grover in presence of Shri. Krishan Kumar, Joint Commissioner Industries Govt of Delhi, International Master Neeraj Kumar Mishra, Jt Secretary All India Chess Federation and Shri. Bharat Singh Chauhan, President Delhi Chess Association.

The first round will start Saturday evening and two rounds will be played on Sunday.

Delhi Chess Association