Surya Shekhar Ganguly top seed in Commonwealth Chess

New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) Grandmaster and national champion Surya Shekhar Ganguly has been top seeded in the star studded Parsvnath Commonwealth Chess Championships, to be held here from December 2 to 10.

Reigning champion, GM Nigel Short of England, however, has opted out as he is taking part in the ongoing World Cup at Khanty-Mansiysk in Russia.

Ganguly (rated 2585) will be followed by England's teenage GM Gawain Jones (2567).

However, the world's youngest Grandmaster, 14-year-old Parimarjan Negi (2514) is likely to hogg the limelight.

The Indian women challenge will be spearheaded by WGM Nisha Mohota (2416) along with national champion WGM Tania Sachdev (2413) and IM Dronavali Harika (2480).

Besides 13 Grandmasters (GM) and five Women Grandmasters (WGM), the field includes 40 International Masters (IM), five Women International Masters (WIM), five FIDE Masters (FM) and three Women FIDE Masters (WFM), and about 70 titled players who would fight it out in 10-round competition with the winner assured of 4,000 dollar as prize money.

The championships will see the best of the chess players from 11 Commonwealth countries -- Australia, Bangladesh, England, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Maldives and hosts India displaying their wares.

With more than 20 FIDE rated players and 15 titled players from outside the country having confirmed their participation, the event has got the status of a full-fledged norm tournament.

UNI