‘All show’: Annamalai slams 44th Chess Olympiad ad

CHENNAI: A teaser video for the upcoming 44th edition of the Chess Olympiad, hosted in Tamil Nadu this year, has stoked a row with state BJP chief calling the ad “all show and substance” as it does not feature sporting the country’s ace player Vishwanathan Anand.

Slamming the Tamil Nadu government over the new advertisement for the Olympiad slated to be held from July 28 till August 10, state BJP chief K Annamalai has questioned the absence of Viswanathan Anand in the promo that features chief minister MK Stalin and music composer AR Rahman, who has composed and also sung the theme song.

Annamalai also asked the state government to “focus on governance” and “not on acting”.

The 44th edition of the world’s biggest chess event will be held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai. Actor Rajinikanth on Friday released the teaser of the advertisement for the event which was initially scheduled to be held in Russia, but was shifted to India because of the former’s military action in Ukraine.

While Stalin and Rahman are seen prominently along with glimpses of the city on a chessboard with dancers dancing, ace Indian chess players like Viswanathan Anand, Koneru Humpy or Vidit Gujrathi were seen missing from the advertisement of the Chess Olympiad.

“No Viswanathan Anand avl in an advertisement for Chess Olympiad? This Advertisement is just like DMK @arivalayam govt in TN – all show & no substance. For God’s sake let our @CMOTamilnadu focus on governance that is already in shambles & not on acting,” tweeted the BJP state chief criticising the advertisement.

The advertisement drew some sharp reactions from netizens with some people pointing out the absence of the ‘national flag’ in the video while others termed it a “cheaply made commercial film”.

A Twitter user said, “Letting down our Chess Champions Viswanathan Anand and Pragya’s”.

Another user tweeted, “Indian Flag is not used anywhere. Did you all note that?”

“People who normally criticize Modi for his photo on corona vaccine certificates are now mum about this trash ad which looks like a cheaply made commercial film,” said another tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the first-ever torch relay for the Chess Olympiad at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on June 19. The torch relay will pass through 75 Indian cities before culminating at Chennai on July 27. Chess grandmasters will receive the torch at various identified venues.

Over 2000 participants from over 200 countries will battle it out for the top prize are participating in the Chess Olympiad.

The first Chess Olympiad was played in 1924 in Paris. However, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) began conducting it officially from 1927.

The 44th Chess Olympiad 2022 will be the second major world event to be held in the country after the World Championship match in 2013 between Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen in Chennai.