Reporter's dairy: Why TN officials rack brains on chess nuances

CHENNAI: Enthralled over the success of the Chess Olympiad inaugural in Chennai where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister MK Stalin shared the dais at a splendid function, the organisers in the State departments are now gearing up for a grand valedictory. They are again working overtime to make the valedictory a grand success so that the DMK government, which had earmarked Rs 102 crore, gets more brownie points.

The officials from multiple departments are also pinning hopes on the Indian contingent and are eagerly waiting for the team India to have a podium finish. “We planned for a grand inaugural and the event till now is a huge hit both domestically and among international chess playing community. If team India wins the event, it will be more joy and an emotional valedictory,” said an officer part of the organising committee. The situation is such that the government staff are now learning the nuances of the Chess Olympiad to know how the points are calculated and how the final winning team is declared. Some of the officials only know to play chess, but how an Olympiad is conducted and its rules are something new to them. “We’re told that the event will go up to 11 rounds and are eagerly waiting to get more important national and international guests for the valedictory function,” the official noted.

To spice up the event, more public is allowed near the venue in Mahabalipuram so that the event boosts the game spirit in Chennai, dubbed as the chess capital of India.