NE SPORTS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, SEP 9
Days ahead of the 36th National Games, the 10th National Chess Boxing Championship, organised by the Chess Boxing Association of Gujarat under the aegis of Chess Boxing Organization of India, was inaugurated in the sports capital of India, Ahmedabad at Reliance Mall, Shahibaug on Friday.
Taking place from Friday to Sunday, September 9 to 11, the Championship is also the selection competition for the team that will represent India in the 4th World Chess Boxing Championship in November in Turkey, the organizers said.
Ajay Patel, President of Asian Zone 3.7, inaugurated the championship at Reliance Mall, Shahibaug, in the presence of Chess Boxing athletes and coaches from across the country.
Chess Boxing Organisation of India’s Founder & President Montu Das, Ellisbridge MLA Rakesh Shah, Darshak Shah, Vice President Reliance Malls, All India Chess Federation Vice President Bhavesh Patel, and International Grand Master Tejas Bakre were the guests of honor at the inaugural ceremony. Also present were Ankit Dalal, Secretary of Chess Boxing Association of Gujarat as Conveyor of event, and Simit Shah, Treasurer, Chess Boxing Association of Gujarat. Inauguration of the championship was followed by cultural program and gala nights.
“I feel privileged to welcome you all to Gujarat to take part in the 10th National Chess Boxing Championship. This is the very first time Gujarat is hosting this championship, but I am sure that this is the first of many. Chess boxing is a very different kind of sport and tests the power of both the body and the brain. I am confident that this championship will go a long way in making chess boxing a mainstream sport in Gujarat and other parts of the country,” said Ajay Patel.
In his address, Chess Boxing Organisation of India’s Founder & President Montu Das, said, “We are thankful to the people of Ahmedabad and the Chess Boxing Association of Gujarat for being wonderful hosts to chess boxing athletes, coaches, and officials who have come from all over the country. There are going to be many exciting matches on September 10 and 11 and I am confident the championship will be a hugely successful one.”
“Eight states, including the host Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Maharahtra are taking part in this first-ever event in Ahmedabad. Out of the total 120 players, 30 are from Gujarat. In the larger interest of the school students’ mentl wellbeing and physical health, the School Games Federation of India has planned to introduce chessboxing from the next academic year,” Das added.
The tournament comprises different categories including kids, cadets, sub-junior, junior, youth, senior & masters, boys & girls, and to men & women. It is also the selection competition for the Indian team that will represent India in the 4th World Chess Boxing Championship at Antalya in Turkey from 12th to 17th November 2022. Ankit Dalal, Secretary of Chess Boxing Association of Gujarat as conveyor of the event, said, “Chess boxing is a sport that needs both intelligence and physical strength. It trains you to face the punches, recover your balance, and demonstrate sharpness on the chess board.”
Around 100 matches are going to be played on September 10 and 11 with participation of 120 players and the prize distribution on September 11. The annual general meeting of the Chess Boxing Organization of India will also take place in Ahmedabad on September 10.
“We are happy to host the 10th National Chess Boxing Championship and are confident that it will help in popularizing Chess Boxing as a sport in Ahmedabad and Gujarat. Plans are afoot to set up a fullfledged chessboxing academy in Gujarat. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and Rs 2,500 will be awarded to the first, second, third and fourth winners, respectively,” said Mehul Mehta, President, Chess Boxing Association of Gujarat.
“An amateur chess boxing match consists of 5-7 alternating rounds of chess and boxing, starting and ending with chess whereas, a professional match comprises 11 alternating rounds. Each round lasts three minutes, followed by a one-minute break. The chess rounds are played under time control, with a total of nine minutes allotted to each player,” Mehta added.
Chess Boxing is a hybrid sport that combines chess and boxing and demands top mental and physical fitness from competitors. The opponents face off in alternate rounds of chess and boxing. The contest starts with a round of chess followed by a round of boxing and so on. The contest is decided by checkmate and exceeding the time limit in chess rounds, retirement in either chess or boxing round, and knockout or referee’s decision in boxing rounds.
A relatively new sport, chess boxing came into existence in 1992 and has been embraced by many nations since. The sport’s governing bodies are the World Chess Boxing Organization and the World Chess Boxing Association. Chess boxing was launched in Gujarat only in July 2021 but has become quite a popular sport.
Reliance is the venue partner for the 10th National Chess Boxing Championship, while Simulations Public Affairs Management Services is the PR partner. Electrotherm India Ltd. and Polycable Accessories are the associate sponsors, and Brain Power Chess Academy is the chess partner.
