The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Close encounter with Grandmaster

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Close encounter with Grandmaster

V. V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD: It was a chance encounter, which the participants are not going to forget easily.

For they were up against Grandmaster Abhijit Kunte, former British Open and the National champion, in simultaneous chess at Ameerpet Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday.

Twenty-five enthusiastic players, from different age groups but more from the sub-junior groups, engaged Abhijit, for close to two hours.

Encouraging response

The display, organised by IM Lanka Ravi during the Andhra Pradesh State open championship conducted by the Chess Players Association of India, drew encouraging response.

"This is the kind of enthusiasm, which the CPAI is really keen to tap and groom potential players," remarked Abhijit. And the joy of Vaishali, a sixth standard student of Goutami Model School, knew no bounds.

"I never dreamt of playing against him. I am not worried about losing or winning," she said .

So was the impression of Srikanta of Dilsukhnagar Public School.

More events

The CPAI would soon explore the possibility of hosting many more such events regularly by asking three big players to line up against a group of 15 players each, said Lanka Ravi.

When seven-year-old Tejaswini was making her moves or watching Abhijit in action, the beaming face of the youngster said it all.

That Abhijit flew to the city just for the event also shows his commitment for the promotion of the sport and his zeal to support any cause for the young chess players.

After all, it did not matter who won or lost at the end!

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