A 20-member team will represent India in the Chess Olympiad to be held at Mamallapuram near here from July 28 to August 10.
As is the norm, the team selection was based on the average rating of the player in the last three rating lists released by World Chess Organisation (FIDE).
Vidit Gujrathi, P. Harikrishna, Arjun Erigaisi, S. L. Narayanan and K. Sasikiran will form the first team while Nihal Sarin, D. Gukesh, B. Adhiban, R. Praggnanandhaa and Raunak Sadhwani will represent India as the second team.
India, as the host, is entitled to field two teams while the other 160-odd countries participating will field one team each.
In the women’s section, Koneru Humpy, D. Harika, R. Vaishali, Tania Sachdev and Bhakti Kulkarni comprise the main team while the second team will be represented by Vantika Agrawal, Soumya Swaminathan, Mary Ann Gomes, Padmini Rout and Divya Deshmukh.
Five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand, the highest-rated Indian, has decided against playing in the Olympiad but will be very much in action as the Chief Mentor to the Indian teams. “After playing many Olympiads, I thought it was time for the younger ones to play,” said Anand.
All India Chess Federation secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan said the Indian team is a good mix of youth and experience. “Opportunity to field two teams at the Olympiad opens the door for many young Indian talents to showcase their game on the biggest stage which otherwise would have been possible only after a wait of probably another couple of years,” he said.
“It’s a huge opportunity for them so early in their careers. Teams look strong and have a good mix of experience as well as young talents and I’m confident that they will make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he added.
The teams: Men: A Team: Vidit Gujrathi, P. Harikrishna, Arjun Erigaisi, S. L. Narayanan, K. Sasikiran.
B Team: Nihal Sarin, D. Gukesh, B. Adhiban, R. Praggananandha, Raunak Sadhwani.
Women: A: Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavali, R. Vaishali, Tania Sachdev, Bhakti Kulkarni.
B: Vantika Agarwal, Soumya Swaminathan, Mary Ann Gomes, Padmini Rout, Divya Deshmukh.
