The Tamil Nadu Chess Association is organizing the 26th Tamil Nadu IM Norm Closed Circuit Chess Tournament in Coimbatore from August 30. The event aims to create more International Masters in the state.
Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Chess Association is set to organize the 26th Tamil Nadu IM Norm Closed Circuit Chess Tournament in Coimbatore. The event will commence on August 30 at Hotel Alangaar in the city. A press conference regarding this tournament was held today at the Sakthi Sugars office in Race Course area.
Dr. M. Manickam, President of the Tamil Nadu Chess Association, stated, "We are conducting the 26th Tamil Nadu IM Norm Closed Circuit Chess Tournament in Coimbatore starting tomorrow. Players who score 2400 points and win three titles will receive the International Master (IM) title. Only those who achieve this can become Grand Masters. The Tamil Nadu government has set a goal of creating 100 Grand Masters. Before that, we need to create 100 International Masters. To achieve this, the Tamil Nadu Chess Association has been conducting this tournament for the past year. So far, 25 tournaments have been completed, and the 26th tournament begins tomorrow."
Dr. Manickam further elaborated on the recent achievements, "This year, 33 norms have been acquired in India so far. Out of these, Tamil Nadu alone has secured 13 norms. Of the remaining, 6 norms were acquired elsewhere in India, and the rest by foreign players. Tamil Nadu has achieved two-thirds of the norms in India. This tournament provides an opportunity for local players to acquire norms without incurring high costs or traveling abroad. Since the inception of this tournament, four players have obtained the International Master title."
The Tamil Nadu Chess Association revealed that there are about 2000 chess players in Coimbatore alone, with 100 to 120 players participating in national-level competitions. The association is encouraging government school students to develop an interest in chess and providing training to chess players. Currently, Tamil Nadu has 30 Grand Masters, and the state aims to reach the target of 100 Grand Masters in the next eight years.
The association also mentioned that they hope to help at least 10 players acquire the International Master title each year. This continuous effort is expected to significantly boost the chess scene in Tamil Nadu and contribute to India's standing in the global chess community.