Late Prof. S.K. Ananda Thirtha Memorial All India Rapid Chess Tournament-2017, conducted by Mysore District Chess Association (MDCA) jointly with Hoysala Karnataka Sangha, Mysuru,  under the aegis of UKCA & AICF got off to a start at Hoysala Karnataka Sangha auditorium here this morning.

Around 250 players from different States — namely Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Kerala, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Sri Lanka — are taking part.

The Tournament was inaugurated by S.A. Mohan Krishna, son of late Prof. S.K. Ananda Thirtha, by lighting the lamp and also by moving the pawn in the chess board. Dr. C. Krishna, Chief Patron, MDCA & former Director, Dept. of Physical Education, UoM, H.V. Rajeev, President, District Co-Operative Union, Mysuru, N. Sudharshan President, MDCA, Aravinda Shastry, Hon. Secretary, UKCA, P.V. Bharadwaj, President, Hoysala Karnataka Sangha, Mysuru, were present.

The Tournament carries a total cash fund of Rs. 2 lakh. A total of 52 trophies will be given for U-9, U-11, U-13 & U-15 (boys & girls) sections. A total of nine rounds will be played in the Tournament.

The top players taking part in the Tournament are IM S.Satyapragyan (Odisha-Rating 2410), IM Dinesh Kumar Sharma (2358), P. Saravan Krishnan (TN-2356), Ram S. Krishnan (TN-2316), K. Senthil Maran (TN-2266), Joydeep Dutta (WB-2259), N. Lokesh (TN-2236), IM Ravi Gopal Hegde (Kar-2193), Swaraj Palit (Jhar-2116) and A.I. Muthaiah (TN-2069).

In the women’s section, former Karnataka State women’s champion from Mysuru H.R. Manasa, former National U-7 girls champion and current State U-9 girls chess champion K.G.R. Anagha from Kalale, Nanjangud, Mysuru district, Prasanna Swamy from Kerala and Karunayake Mayuri from Sri Lanka will be seen in action in the two-day tourney.