19 GMs to feature in Aurionpro International GM Chess

Around 34 top chess players, including 19 Grandmasters, 11 International Masters and four Women's International Masters from 19 countries, will take part in the Rs 4 million prize money Aurionpro International Chess Championship, which will be held after a gap of five years. India's GM Diptayan Ghosh is the top seed at the senior event and will be challenged by the second seed GM Levan Pantsulaia of Georgia and third seed GM Petrosyan Manuel of Armenia.

The earlier editions have thrown up junior winners, who have gone on to carve out places for themselves in the global chess world, prominent among them being current world champion D Gukesh. The top three winners of the GM event will take home Rs 4 lakh, 3 lakh and two lakh respectively, while the winners of the junior event will win Rs 3 lakh, 2 lakh and 1 lakh respectively.

The tournament is being organized by Indian Chess School and will be played at World Trade Centre from June 16 to 24. The tournament includes an International Open Grandmasters Chess event, offering prize money of Rs 25 lakh, and an Under-13 competition, offering prize money of Rs 15 lakh, regarded as the highest prize money tournament in the world for juniors.

Young chess players from across India and abroad will be competing in four age categories: Under-7, Under-9, Under-11, and Under-13. National champions will receive free entry and accommodation, while national school champions will get free entry, making the tournament accessible to the country’s brightest emerging talent. PTI