Second edition of The Big Chess Inter-School Tournament begins from 16th May

“Recreating old magic”

It’s a sentiment that resonates with all of us. We all cherish something from the past that we want to experience again. We love to bring back a sense of nostalgia or tradition. If I think of the best example, it would be ‘bringing the old music back”. This is something people can immediately relate to. It’s like reliving an era that you once loved and lived in. In fact, even chess players lived in such a nostalgic era. But I am not talking about music. I am talking about golden era of chess.

Back in the day, Mumbai had these huge inter-school chess tournaments where thousands of players of different ages would compete over the board. It was a whole scene to watch! You can read more about it in this article. That's the kind of excitement we aimed to recreate with The Big Chess Inter-School Tournament. The first edition took place last year and this time, we are back with the second edition! The tournament will return to Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla, from the 16th to 18th May 2025.

What is the venue?

If you have been a part of the Phoenix ChessBase India Chess Club or if you have attended the Big Chess Summer/Winter Camp, then you are already aware of the venue.

Who can take part in this tournament?

The Inter-School tournament is divided into 6 age categories: Under-6, Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, and the Open category (up to 10th standard). You can easily find the specific birth date requirements for each category in the graphic below. And of course, any player can always challenge themselves by playing in a higher age group! So, a confident Under-6 player is welcome to participate in the Under-12 group.

The Big Chess Inter-school tournament will take place from 16th to 18th May 2025. This 8-round Swiss tournament will feature a Classical time control of 30 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. The first two days will consist of three rounds each, with the final day featuring two rounds. It will be followed by a special simul with GM Harshit Raja, where he will take on 15 players. He will also be distributing the prizes to the winners of the respective categories.

What are the prizes?

There are numerous attractive prizes available for top finishers across various age categories. The Top 6 finishers in each category shall be awarded with trophies, and the players finishing 7 to 15 shall be awarded Medals. The most special of them all is - the winners of each category will get a direct entry into the Aurionpro Mumbai Junior International FIDE Chess Tournament. The top two finishers from each category will play against GM Harshit Raja in the simul on Day 3.

If you have watched the ChessBase India livestreams, you have probably seen GM Harshit Raja commentating with Sagar Shah. Always smiling, always insightful, and always composed, Harshit makes every stream fun and engaging. He became India’s 69th Grandmaster in August 2021 after securing his final norm at the Biel Masters Open. He won a silver medal at the U-13 National Chess Championship in Jamshedpur and a gold medal at the SGFI Nationals in Tamil Nadu. He was also honoured with the prestigious Shiv Chhatrapati Award by the Government of Maharashtra in 2019. Currently, he is pursuing a dual degree in Economics and Finance at the University of Missouri. Getting a chance to face such a talented and well-rounded Grandmaster on the board will surely be an unforgettable experience for the players!

Rules and Regulations

How to register?

To register for the tournament, simply scan the QR code below or click on this WhatsApp registration link. The entry fees for the event is Rs. 100. There will be 50 spots in each category, so make sure you grab your spot before it’s gone. Entries for this event will close on 14th May or earlier if all the spots are filled.

You can check all the details of this tournament at this link. You can also download the brochure.

Register Now

If you have any queries, feel free to contact us at contact@chessbase.in or drvidhichess@gmail.com.

A look back at the First Edition

The first edition of The Big Chess Inter-School Tournament saw a fantastic response. A total of 259 players took part in this tournament across various age groups! Here is how the numbers looked:

The top three finishers in each category were as follows:

After an exciting tournament, the top finishers in each category were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: a simul against GM Vidit Gujrathi. It was Vidit versus 16 players, and the fight was worth watching.

There were moments when Vidit found himself under intense time pressure with just a few seconds left on the clock. But that didn't shake his focus. He converted all 16 games into victories. His performance left everyone in awe!