AHMEDABAD: It is time again for one of the most awaited events on the Indian chess calendar — the National `B' championship.

Unlike in the past, the 13-round competition offers 30 slots for the next National `A' where all the

Grandmasters will be eligible to join the fray.

Over 200 players have reached here and the organisers expect the entries to touch 300 before the action commences at the plush Karnavati Club on Friday.

With around 20 International Masters and a couple of Woman GMs in the fray, the field promises tough battles.

The high number of qualifying berths for the new Swiss league National `A' is in no way going to diminish the intensity of the encounters.

The barometer

The National `B' has remained the barometer of the depth of country's chess. Battle-scarred IMs are made to test their preparations against several untitled players, the young and the not so young.

Reputations often take a beating and many little-known names have their moments of fame.

Players like triple-GM norm holder G.B. Prakash, V. Saravanan, Varughese Koshy and several others IMs will try to win back their places in National `A'.

Experience does count in a long-drawn event like this one, but the energy of youth also plays a role in the later stages.

The rise in the number qualifying slots has given plenty of hopes for many young talents to make the elite National `A' field.

Focus will obviously be on teen and pre-teen challengers who have made a name at the age-group level. So watch out for N. Srinath, Sahaj Grover, Fenil Shah, Prasanna Rao and Aditya Udeshi to embarrass a few big names.

Among the older boys, Aswin Jayaram can be expected to carry on his good form in open events this year.

Players like woman GM D. Harika and two-time National junior girls' champion Soumya Swaminathan are sure to carry hopes of making the top-30 bracket. Harika will try to regain her place in the National championship, while Soumya appears a serious contender to make her debut in the premier championship to be held at Rajkot later this year.

Some players can be expected to make the grade easily, but limelight will be on those making the qualifying grade against all odds.

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