A stellar moment of the night ceremony was the arrival of the Olympic torch relay, an unprecedented event in the Chess Olympiads, after traveling for 40 days more than 25,000 kilometers through India visiting 75 emblematic places of the country as a tribute to the 75th

anniversary of the national independence from the British colonial rule.

The most important team tournament of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), held for the first time in India, considered the cradle of the so-called science game, established a record of 187 participating countries, 350 teams divided into 188 in the open section and 162 in the women’s section.

At least 255 male Grandmasters and 53 female Grandmasters are attending the match, which will be take place from Friday in 11 rounds by the fickle Swiss System in the town of Mahabalipuram, which has several historical monuments declared by Unesco as World Heritage Site, about 50 kilometers from Chennai.

In the absence of Russia and China powers, India will present six teams comprising a total of 30 players, three in the open sections and another trio in the women’s section, as the number of entries was odd.

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