Goa may checkmate Chandigarh, Jaipur to host Chess World Cup later this year

Panaji: Goa has emerged as the top choice to host the FIDE Chess World Cup later this year due to growing concerns over New Delhi, the original choice.The Oct 31-Nov 27 tournament was originally supposed to be held in New Delhi, but the organisers have started looking at other venues with Goa emerging as the best bet, ahead of Chandigarh and Jaipur.Neither FIDE, the governing body for world chess, or the All India Chess Federation (AICF), has made any statement about the final venue, though FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich recently indicated that the World Cup will be held “in some new location”.Held once every two years, the World Cup is an eight-round knockout tournament featuring 206 players, where the 50 top-seeded players get a first-round bye and go directly to round two.

All the matches consist of two classical games.A senior official, who did not want to be identified since he is not authorised to speak with the media, said there were concerns in some quarters about pollution in New Delhi during Oct and Nov when the tournament is scheduled to be played.“It’s almost certain that the tournament will be held in Goa. The official announcement will be made by FIDE,” said the official.Goa has never hosted a chess event of such magnitude.

In 2002, the state hosted the World Junior Championship where Levon Aronian finished on top, followed by Luke McShane and Surya Shekhar Ganguly.The World Cup will attract some of the biggest names in chess with three spots on offer for the Candidates tournament that will decide the challenger to reigning world champion Gukesh D.World number one Magnus Carlsen had won the 2023 World Cup in Baku, defeating India’s R Praggnanandhaa. Among the players competing for the title were the very best players, including GMs Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Wesley So.