ZCZC
BSP-24
CHESS-ASIAN
Asian Zonal Chess Championship begins
DHAKA, June 1, 2021 (BSS) – Asian Zonal Chess Championship (Hybrid Chess) qualifying for the FIDE World Cup Chess has begun from today (Tuesday) at Crown hall of the Hotel Asia in the city.
Dr. Benazir Ahmed, BPM (Bar), president of Bangladesh Chess Federation and Inspector General of Bangladesh Police virtually inaugurated the championship as the chief guest while SAIF POWERTEC Limited managing director and Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF) vice president Tarafder Mohammad Ruhul Amin was virtually present as the special guest in the inauguration ceremony.
BCF vice president KM Shahidullah presided over the opening ceremony.
A total of 39 players participating in the championship, sponsored by SAIF POWERTEC Limited.
Twenty-one players from Bangladesh including Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman, Grandmaster Enamul Hossain Razib, International Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman, International Master Mohammad Minhazuddin and International Master Abu Sufian Shakil along with two players from Maldives, three players from Nepal, ten players from Pakistan and three players from Sri Lanka are participating in the meet.
In the day’s first round matches, GM Zia beat Mihir LAl Das, GM Razi beat Kusatha Niken of Nepal, IM Fahad beat Muhammad Ayoub, FM Subrota Biswas beat WFM Noshin Anjum, FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman beat CM Amarasinghe of Sri Lanka, Anata Choudhury beat Musawir Khan of Pakistan, FM Mehdi Hasan Parag beat Ehtesham Ul Haq of Pakistan, FM Khandaker Aminul Islam beat Prajapati Raj of Nepal, CM Tahsin Tajwar Zia beat Mahmood Nasir of Pakistan, CM Md Sharif Hossain beat Wadifa Ahmed, CM Manon Reja Neer beat Muhammad Haris Rezwan of Pakistan, CM Sohel Chowdhury beat Afzal Shahwani, CM Nayem Haque beat Muhammad Faisal Mughal of Pakista and CM Mahtabuddin Ahmed beat Muneeb Yaqoob of Pakistan.
The championship is being held in nine-round Swiss-League system and the champion of the event will have the opportunity to participate in the FIDE World Cup Chess 2021 to be held from July in Sochi, Russia.
The winners’ of the competition will be awarded a cash prize of U$$ three thousand.
The second-round games start tomorrow (Wednesday) from 3:30 pm at the same venue.
BSS/SG/FI/ 2100 hrs