The grand opening ceremony of the 44th Chess Olympiad is going on at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
The grand opening ceremony of the 44th Chess Olympiad is going on at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
The world’s biggest team chess championship, featuring players from 187 countries, will be held at Hotel Four Points in Sheraton, Mamallapuram from Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is about to inaugurate the Chennai Chess Olympiad in no time, Tamil Nadu government is fully geared up for the occasion and all protocols are firmly in place. The formal ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 pm
6.25 pm
PM Modi arrived
Dressed in a traditional white dhoti, consisting of a chessboard and a half-sleeved white shirt, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium for the inauguration of the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad.
5.50 pm
Nehru Stadium dazzled, drenched with music
The Nehru Indoor Stadium here was lit up with classy lights, and the atmosphere of excitement could be seen during the opening ceremony of the 44th Chess Olympiad.
The vast area in Downtown Chennai was buzzing with new ideas, presented in the form of elegant decorations, with the undercurrent being a nerve-wracking game of chess.
The classy lighting displayed multiple colors everywhere and the magic of the light engraved on the foreground a grand, large chessboard and the flags of the participating countries.
The stage of the stadium was decorated with brightly colored chess pieces in the form of kings, bishops, rooks, queens, knights and pawns.
A special dance-song “Vanakkam Chennai, Vanakkam Chess” was performed. An audio visual on the theme of sand-sculpting a game of chess played in the historic sea port city of Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu was captured.
Teams from dozens of countries including Japan, China, Australia, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Austria, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina and Barbados were greeted with applause with an orchestra . ‘Jai Ho’ was one of the Indian instrumental music, while ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung.
Top actor Rajinikanth was among the star invitees who were in attendance.
5.45 pm
India slams Pakistan for ‘politicizing’ Chess Olympiad
India on Thursday criticized Pakistan for pulling out of the 44th Chess Olympiad in Tamil Nadu and said it was “extremely unfortunate” that Islamabad has “politicised” the prestigious international event.
Reacting to Pakistan’s decision, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that it is surprising that Pakistan has suddenly decided not to participate in the event.
He said it is extremely unfortunate that Pakistan has politicized the prestigious international event by making such statements and withdrawing its participation after its team reached India.
5 pm
Pakistan out of 44th Chess Olympiad
“Pakistan condemns India’s mischievous attempt to mix politics with sports. As a protest, Pakistan has decided not to participate in the 44th Chess Olympiad and will also take up the matter with the International Chess Federation at the highest level,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in the statement. The torch relay passed through Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, on 21 June.
4.35 pm
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister inspects the arrangements for Chess Olympiad
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated an exquisite sculpture carved by artisans from the state-owned Poompuhar (Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation) at the entrance of Mamallapuram, near here, ahead of the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad that begins on Thursday.
The 45-foot-high piece of art is meant to showcase the brilliance of the handicraft artisans for which the heritage city is famous, apart from the ancient Shore Temple and a series of monuments.
In addition, the Chief Minister inspected the venues of the Chennai Chess Olympiad in Chennai – Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a grand event in the presence of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi – and Punjeri in Mamallapuram where the event will be held. And the arrangements being made for this will be reviewed.
Congratulating and wishing the players, Ravi said in his message: “Let’s participate, compete and set new standards of sportsmanship with the true spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one big family).” He invited chess players from different parts of India and the world to visit historical and cultural sites and be a part of Tamil Nadu’s timeless, vivid and vibrant spiritual enrichment. He said, “The threat of global pandemic is not over yet, new forms are posing new challenges. Hence, I urge everyone to take necessary precautions and follow the guidelines to ensure the safety of themselves and their loved ones “
4.30 pm
Chennai – City of 17 Chess Grandmasters
The winner of the Kasturi Cup chess tournament organized by the Madras Chess Federation, M. Aaron S. Appeared in action against Venkataraman. (circa March 8, 1958 (published in Sports and Entertainment on March 22, 1958) | Photo credit: PM Parthasarathy
As of 2022, 17 out of 76 Grandmasters (GMs) in India are from Chennai alone and two out of five Indian players in the world’s top 55, according to FIDE (International Chess Federation, or Fédération Internationale des Echeux). from Chennai.
4.25 pm
Behind the scenes in Mamallapuram
India is hosting the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022, metroplus Spends a day behind the scenes at the venue in Mamallapuram
4.20 pm
human chess
Students dressed up as chess pieces and walked across a life-sized board during the International Chess Day celebrations at the Keren School in Madurai. photo credit: R Ashok
In Madurai, Keren Matriculation School came up with its own unique way of celebrating Chess Olympiad and International Chess Day. These students were drawn as black and white chess pieces to simulate a live chess game on a 2,500-square-foot board.
A total of 32 students in the age group of 13 to 18 years were selected. The 16 students on either side were asked to move by two visiting chess enthusiasts, Ebenezer Joseph and Dr. Donald James Moir, a retired British physician.
This live demo seemed to pit the old versus the new, with Dr. Donald representing English and Ebenezer representing the Contemporary Olympiad. The event saw Madurai-based Grandmaster Deepan Chakraborty, International Master BT Murali Krishnan, and Commonwealth gold medalist M Rajadarshini take part in chess matches together against students.
4.15 pm
‘Feels Like a Festival’: Pragyananand on Chess Olympiad
Pragyananand | photo credit: Johan Satyadas
Chess champion Pragyanananda chats at the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai while working with Viswanathan Anand and his recent meetings with actors Rajinikanth and Sivakarthikeyan.
4.10 pm
Discussions in Mamallapuram
Small businessmen in Mamallapuram are hopeful that the 44th Chess Olympiad will put their hometown on the global map.
4 pm
Why was Mamallapuram chosen to host the Chess Olympiad?
Children playing chess near Shore Temple in Mamallapuram, near Chennai. photo credit: Johan Satyadas
A well-connected transport network, a handful of star hotels and the ease of ensuring various security measures are among the key factors that have helped Mamallapuram emerge as the host of the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad, beginning on 28 July. helped – Denises. jesudasani
3 pm
A temple for Sathuranga Vallabhnathri, the god of chess
A view of Sathuranga Vallabhanathar Temple at Thirupovanur in Thiruvarur district. photo credit: special arrangement
An ancient temple of Lord Shiva associated with the game of chess at Thirupovanur near Needamangalam in Thiruvarur district has attracted public interest ahead of the Chess Olympiad. The presiding deity of the temple is known as Sathuranga Vallabhnathar, a chess expert. sathurangam Chess is Tamil name. Legend has it that Lord Shiva was called Sathuranga Vallabhnathar after defeating a local king’s daughter in a game of chess and winning the right to marry her. S Ganesan
at 2 pm
On India hosting the 44th Chess Olympiad
A nation laden with chess talent is now ready to parade it on a stage that does not get bigger. The 44th Chess Olympiad, with participants from 187 countries, opens with a grand ceremony at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Thursday and the 11-round on-board action begins the next day in Mamallapuram. With the usual medal winning nations – Russia and China – not in the mix, few first-timers could occupy the podium. Whether India wins medals or not, staging Chess Olympiad will give a boost to chess — The Hindu Editorial