Jamshedpur, June 24: Tata Steel 4th All India Specially Abled Chess Tournament 2024 began today, drawing 68 players from across the country. Last year’s champion, Samarth J Rao, who secured victory on his home turf in Tumkur, Karnataka, returns to compete in this edition.

Total prize money for tourney Rs 3,17,000

Naveen Kumar, the top seed of the event with an Elo rating of 1986, is a notable contender. He finished second in the tournament’s third edition in 2022 and has represented India, winning a Bronze medal in the FIDE Olympiad for People with Disabilities. Following closely is FIDE Master Venkata Krishna Karthick from Andhra Pradesh, with an Elo rating of 1889. Karthick, the runner-up in the 2022 All India Physically Challenged Rating Chess Championship, was also the champion of the Super Heroes Cup 2021. Samarth J Rao is ranked third with an Elo rating of 1770.

For the first time, Jharkhand is hosting this prestigious event, organized by the Tata Steel Sports Department in association with the Chess Federation for the Physically Disabled. The tournament commenced with a medical examination and verification of certificates for all enrolled players.

The competition features a total of nine rounds, beginning tomorrow with a time control of 60 minutes plus a 30-second increment. On the first day (June 25th), three rounds will be played, followed by two rounds each day for the next three days.

The tournament champion, in the open section which includes players with locomotor disabilities, the deaf, and the mute, will receive a cash prize of Rs. 25,000. Various other categories, such as Wheelchair, Unrated, Women, U19 Junior Open, and Girls, also have dedicated prizes. The total prize fund for the tournament is Rs 3,17,000.