12 elite women players for AICF Women Grandmaster Chess

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Mumbai: Twelve elite women players, six Indians and as many overseas players, will figure in the SBI Life-AICF Women Grandmaster Chess Championship at the Acres Club in suburban Chembur from June 12-19.

Among the leading foreign players are Munguntuul Batkhuyag of Mongolia (ELO rating 2410) and Anna Zozulia of Belgium (ELO 2314), both having full-fledged International Chess Masters (IM) titles.

WGM Tokhirjonova Gulrukhbegim of Uzbekistan (ELO 2379), WGM Vo Thi Kim Phung of Vietnam (ELO 2376) and Nakhbayeva Guliskhan of Kazakhstan (ELO 2323), along with Woman

International Master Tomilova Elena from Russia (ELO 2334), are the other contenders from overseas, a media release said today.

The Indian challenge would be spearheaded by WIM Aakanksha Hagawane (2297), who is closely followed by WIM G.K. Monnisha (2295), WIM Vantika Agrawal (2279) and WIM Srija Seshadri (2207).

Two of India's most promising youngsters, WFM Divya Deshmukh (2138), the reigning World Under-12 Champion and former Asian Champion Rakshitta Ravi (2067) will test their skills against these top women players.

The 12 women players have been selected by the All India Chess Federation and the event provides Indian Women Grandmasters and Women International Masters an opportunity to pick up norms to earn higher titles.

This championship is a `Category '10 Women's Grandmaster Chess Tournament and one of the strongest events to be held in the country.

The tournament, to be jointly organised by the Indian Chess School and South Mumbai Chess Academy under the auspices of All India Chess Federation (AICF), also offers a prize fund of Rs 7.50 lakh with the winner set to earn Rs 1.60 lakh.

As a part of this festival, an All India FIDE Rating Chess Tournament for children (under 7-15) in nine categories will be conducted simultaneously for which a total prize fund of Rs one lakh and 54 trophies have been earmarked.