Life-time opportunity: Viswanathan Anand as countdown begins for Chess Olympiad

New Delhi: The long wait of almost 100 years will be ended when India will host the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022 for the first time ever in the country, scheduled in Chennai from July 28 to August 10.

The excitement is palpable amongst the organisers--All India Chess Federation (AICF), players and chess enthusiasts as the world's biggest chess event is now just 100 days away.

Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand believes that the Chess Olympiad on home soil will inspire the upcoming Indian chess generation. "It is a lifetime opportunity for youngsters to get a glimpse of their idols, watch them play and possibly interact with them," said India's first-ever Grandmaster Anand.

World Champions, Super Grandmasters and national champions will be among the top stars participating from more than 150 countries across the world as the Chess Olympiad 2022 will see a golden chapter being added to the Indian sporting history.

The first Chess Olympiad was played in 1924 in Paris however, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) began conducting it officially from 1927. "We are sparing no effort to ensure that this Olympiad will be the best ever and hope that people will be talking about it for the next 100 years," promises Bharat Singh Chauhan, Secretary, All India Chess Federation.

Hundreds of district-level players from Tamil Nadu have already put in their requests to witness the games live and soon the fever will catch up in the whole country. The playing teams will be declared by the respective countries in the first week of May.

As the top ten countries, including the United States of America, China, India and Ukraine, are so evenly matched, the prestigious event is expected to witness an enthralling and exciting action in every round. India and Russia had jointly clinched the gold in the last edition of the event which was held virtually in 2020.