Now,a rich rebel chess tournament

The All India Open Chess tournament,being organised by the Chess Association of India,is being touted as the biggest ever prize-money event in the country with Rs 15 lakh on offer.

The week-long tournament begins from Wednesday and the CAI,formed by some former All India Chess Federation (AICF) officials and unrecognised by the IOA,said they have already received over 400 entries.

We are having a total prize purse of Rs 15 lakh with the winner getting Rs 3 lakh. Runners-up will get Rs 1.5 lakh,Rs 1 lakh for third,Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 for fourth and fifth. It will not only be the biggest tournament in the country but also the highest prize money tournament, CAI general secretary Mahesh Ved said.

However,no known names are among the participants,with no Grandmasters or International Masters in the fray. CAI president Naveen Kumar Wal said it was due to coercive measures by the AICF. The AICF tried every means to scuttle it. They have threatened suspension to players registered with them if they take part in the tournament. But we have every right to organise a tournament. We are not doing anything against them (AICF), Wal said. We even offered Rs 25,000 appearance fee for every Indian Grandmaster and Rs 10,000 for International Masters but they cant participate due to the AICF threat, he added.

The 10-round tournament will have prize of Rs 4,000 for even the 80th-place finisher.

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