Anand to play in Asian team chess championship

Visakhapatnam, Oct 5 (UNI) Newly crowned world champion Viswanathan Anand will be seen in action in the Asian Team Chess Championships, beginning here from January 2 next year.

Anand and compatriot Grandmasters P Harikrishna and K Sasikiran have been seeded directly in the event which will be paticipated by about 41 countries.

Talking to newspersons here today, Andhra Pradesh Chess Association President Major K A Shiva Prasad said it was for the first time that Visakhapatnam had been chosen to host an event of this stature.

He said the championship would be organised by East Coast Chess Academy in association with Andhra Pradesh Chess Association under the aegis of All India Chess Federation.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh would extend financial support to the event.

UNI