Ahmedabad, 11 September (H.S.):The ISSO Chess Games commenced on Friday at Adani International School in Ahmedabad. A total of 427 young players from 102 international schools across the country are participating in the two-day competition, being held on September 11 and 12.

The competition features separate events for boys and girls in the Under-11, Under-14, Under-17 and Under-19 age categories. The tournament provides students with an opportunity to compete against their peers from across the country and showcase their talent at the national level.

Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa was present at the inaugural event. He interacted with the young players and encouraged them to participate in the competition with confidence and enthusiasm. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi also attended the event, encouraged the participants and emphasised the importance of providing young talents with better opportunities in competitive sports.

Sanghavi said, “Identifying talent at an early stage and providing the right platform to nurture and develop it at the school level is crucial to building India’s sporting future. Competitions such as the ISSO Chess Games give young players an opportunity to compete, gain experience and take the next step in their sporting journey.”

Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa said, “It is wonderful to see so many young players from schools across the country coming together and getting an opportunity to compete at this level. Competitions like these help young players develop their game under pressure and adapt to a competitive environment. I hope all the players enjoy the experience, learn from every match and continue to pursue their passion for chess with hard work. I am happy to be here to encourage them and wish everyone the very best.”

The two-day competition features separate boys’ and girls’ events across the four age categories. The tournament aims to develop strategic thinking, concentration, decision-making skills and the ability to deal with challenges among young players, while also giving them experience of high-level inter-school competition.

ISSO founder Akanksha Thapak said, “The participation of 427 players from 102 schools reflects the growing interest in competitive chess at the school level. The presence of Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa among us to encourage the players makes the inauguration of this event even more special. We are grateful to the Adani Group for its continued support in our efforts to create meaningful sporting opportunities for ISSO and young students.”

The ISSO Games are supported by the Adani Group, which has consistently supported efforts to provide meaningful sporting opportunities for school students.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar