To give a healthy break to people amid this lockdown period, Sikkim Department of Sports & Youth Affairs is organizing the North East State Level Online Chess Tournament on Friday.
The tournament is being organized in collaboration with Sikkim Chess Association (SCA).
The day-long tournament carries a total prize money of Rs 50,000.
The tournament has prizes for top 20 winners and 18 others in different categories.
Secretary to Sports & Youth Affairs Department, Kuber Bhandari stated that as online chess was possible to conduct with social distancing so the Department has come forward to organize the tournament in technical support from Sikkim Chess Association.
He added that the department wants to boost morale of players with the tournament during this lockdown.
He stated that tournament will also help people to cope up mental stress in this lockdown.
He added that the department is sponsoring the prize money of the tournament.
Sikkim Chess Association general secretary, Mahendra Dhakal, who is also an international arbiter, mentioned that when sports activities are on hold following the lockdown, the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs has taken an appreciable initiative of organizing the north-east level online chess tournament in collaboration with Sikkim Chess Association.
“We are introducing this system of chess tournament for the first time in the north-eastern region. Interested players need to download Lichess App need to participate in this tournament,” he said.
He informed that each player will get time of one hour 30 minutes and player with the highest point will be declared as winner.
Dhakal thanked the department for coming forward for the development and progress of chess in such situation.
He urged interested to contact Sikkim Chess Association for visit its website for other details.
He expressed that the game of chess will also give relief to mental stress of the people in this lockdown.