YOUNGSTERS TO STAR IN VODAFONE FIJI RAPID CHESS

Provisional FIDE Master (FM) Rudr Ravi Prasad and Yash Krishen Maharaj of The University of the South Pacific lead the list of favorites for the 2023 Vodafone Fiji October Rapid Chess Championship. A total of 7 rounds will be played by all participants under a 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move time-control.

Leading sponsors Vodafone Fiji have heightened the tournament with a minimum prize pool of $ 1000 that will be allotted between the Open, Women, Primary School and Secondary School Categories with additional prizes for Best Beginner that is usually awarded to any member of the public who opts to compete in a Fiji Chess Federation event for the first time and stamps a significant score.

Ex-Olympiad and Oceania Zonal reps like Candidate Master (CM) Manoj Kumar, CM Taione Sikivou, CM Ronald Terubea, Women’s Candidate Master (WCM) Gloria Sukhu, Provisional WCM Tanvi Radha Prasad of Jai Narayan College, Prashil Prakash and Provisional WCM Cydel Terubea are expected to heat up the level of competition.

“With young and improving players from Primary and Secondary School who are capable of causing upsets against Fiji’s National reps, it will be hard to predict a winner for the event,” states General Secretary Goru Arvind. “Enthusiasm among new and younger players for chess is rising through chess.com and lichess.org and tournaments are becoming more and more competitive.”

Chess players from a wide range of institutions such as Suva Grammar High School, Deenbandho Memorial Primary School, Yat Sen Primary/Secondary School, Marish Brother’s High School, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School, Jai Narayan College, Rishikul Sanatan College, International Secondary School, Marist Brother’s Primary School, Vunimono High School and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Primary School will be boosting the event, with more players from Fiji National University (FNU) and The University of the South Pacific (USP).

"Rapid Chess is a format where players are allowed to take more risks and even come out of losing positions with strong tactics," adds Goru Arvind. "This is a format that will favor younger minds that can visualize patterns and traps ahead of the veterans."

The USP Chess Club which has about 145 players in a Viber Group will be sending their top representatives to make a mark on several chessboards.

The tournament will be arbitered by National Arbiter (NA) John Andrew Kunau who received his certification from the World Chess Federation (FIDE) earlier in the year.