Grandmasters Pravin Mahadeo Thipsay and Vidit Gujrathi, on Saturday, launched the official website of Maharashtra Chess Association (MCA), the official chess body of All India Chess Federation (AICF) for Maharashtra.

The website has been launched by MCA to bring Chess enthusiasts across the country closer on a digital platform, in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. On the website one can not only find all relative information about MCA, the office bearers, registration procedure, future initiatives but also interact and play the game.

The MCA has sprung into action ever since the AICF restored their affiliation after a protracted legal dispute was resolved. The dispute had originally stemmed from a factional tussle within the MCA, which was registered as a society in 1975, by amalgamation of the then five regional chess bodies in the state. The association was then granted affiliation by the AICF in 1978.

In 2012, the AICF asked all its affiliates to amend bye laws to adapt with the one nation, one federation norm. But the tussle within MCA factions, however, resulted in delay of the completion of the entire process. In December 2016, the AICF disaffiliated the MCA for not amending their bye laws in time.

Finally, in April this year, in a Special General Body Meeting (SGM), a five-member panel decided to restore the affiliation of MCA along with Rajasthan Chess Association. Earlier this month, the Pune-based chess body hosted a unique Blitz Grand Prix tournament, brought by LetsUp.

The Blitz tournaments, which have a total prize fund of INR 155000, are being held every Wednesday from June 3 to July 1. Each tournament has a total prize fund of INR 25000 and top five GP finishers get a total of INR 30000. The event has been sponsored by Nasik District and Novel, Ahmednagar District and Narendra Firodia Unicorp, Pune District and Amanora, Jalgaon District and Jain Irrigation and h2e, and lastly, the Sangali District and Chitale Bandhu.

Also read: Maharashtra Chess Association hosts grand five-day Blitz Grand Prix

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GMs Pravin Thipsay, Vidit Gujrathi launch Maharashtra Chess Associations official website - The Bridge