"Indian Open Getting  Bigger !!"

The 1st edition of the 'Mumbai International Open is scheduled at the prestigious Goregaon Sports Club, Mumbai from 10th to 20th May 2008. Organized by Venus Chess Academy under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation & FIDE, the event is the biggest International open chess tournament in India in terms of prize money with a record prize fund of Rs.11.00 Lakhs. The President of the Venus Chess Academy Mr.Ravindra Dongre, is the Vice-President of the All India Chess Federation and President of the Commonwealth Chess Association. He has organized many international and National events.

The tournament will be held in the air-conditioned halls of Goregaon Sports Club and the games on the top tables would be transmitted live on Internet via the Monroi System.

The tournament is likely to attract more than 250 players from all over the world. The big names who have already confirmed their entries are GM Michael Kransenkow from Poland, GM Alex Barsov, GM Sapar Batyrov - Turkmenistan, GM Al-Rakib, GM Ziaur Rahman and GM Niaz Murshed from Bangladesh, GM Saideli Yuldachev, GM Elizabar Ubilava, GM Miroslaw & WIM Magdalena Kludacz from Poland, GM Dzhumaev Marat (Uzbekistan), GM Bartemeloj Macieja, besides the Indian GMs who have confirmed their entries namely GM R.B. Ramesh, GM Abhijit Kunte andGM Dibyendu Barua. International Masters and Women International Masters from India who have confirmed their participation are, Deep Sengupta, Sudhakar Babu, Verghese Koshy, Konguvel, Saptarshi Roy Choudhary, Shriram Jha, Shyam Sundar,       KRatnakaran, Anup Deshmukh, Roktim Bandyopadhyay, C S Gokhale, Padmini Rout-IWM, Kiran monisha mohanty IWM.

The tournament offers the untitled rated players to earn GM/IM norms whereas for unrated players, they can earn the FIDE Ratings. The players would be provided free accommodation at the Andheri Sports Complex. Foreign titled players would be accommodated at the 3-star rooms at the Goregaon Sports Club itself.

The organisers have made elaborate arrangements for media with internet and telephone facility.

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