Top players shine at LIC Divisional Chess Tournament
Pioneer News Service
Jamshedpur
The LIC Divisional Chess Tournament 2026 for men and women commenced at the LIC Sports Club in Bistupur, bringing together some of the finest chess talents from the division for a two-day competition.
The tournament was inaugurated in the presence of Chief Guest Sabyasachi Sahu, MM. Guests of Honour included K. Meenakshi, Manager (Personnel), G. Ravishankar, Honorary Secretary of LIE Sports Club, D.P. Balmiki, Treasurer of the club, and Ashish Dey. International Arbiter Chandan Kumar Prasad, serving as the Chief Arbiter for the tournament, was also present during the inauguration ceremony.
A total of ten players are participating in the championship, including eight competitors in the men’s category and two in the women’s category. Matches are being played under a time control format of 30 minutes with a 30-second increment per move.
The men’s section witnessed intense competition during the opening three rounds. Himanshu Bikash Chakraborty emerged as the sole leader with a perfect score of three points. Balwant Kumar, Ankit Bhardwaj and Ashok Das are jointly placed second with two points each. The fourth and final round, which will determine the men’s champion, is scheduled to be played on Monday.
In the women’s category, Asha Kumari made an impressive start by winning both her matches against Rashmi Samal. With two points from two games, she currently leads the standings and is in a strong position to claim the title. The women’s championship is being decided through a best-of-three format, with one more match remaining.
Organisers expressed confidence that the final day of competition would witness exciting contests as players vie for top honours in both categories.
