All posts tagged: Nona Gaprindashvili Cup

INTERVIEW with AICF president Nitin Narang on India’s grand chess plan

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The historic double gold for India’s Open and Women’s teams at the Olympiad shifted the power equation in world chess and put the country’s GenNext players in the limelight. All India Chess Federation president Nitin Narang spoke to The Indian Express on the road ahead — India’s own player rating system, contracts for top players and the challenges of generating sponsorships. Excerpts: India has a bunch of very talented players. Do you see this as a big responsibility? Nitin Narang: The achievements of these golden boys and girls are because of their efforts and the sacrifices of their parents. When I was in Budapest for the Olympiad I saw how much parents were sacrificing. The federation’s role is to support players. Yes, there is a huge responsibility on my shoulders; one to continue the momentum, and second to make sure these players, who have outperformed everyone in the world, get the best of the facilities and support. How was the reaction of other players and fans during the Olympiad? Nitin Narang: India’s chess players were …

AICF loses the trophy won at 2022 Chess Olympiad, orders a new one

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In an incident of first-hand embarrassment, the All India Chess Federation (AICF) has lost the Chess Olympiad Trophy for best contingent won by India in the last edition. The trophy known as the ‘Nona Gaprindashvili Cup’ went missing from the office of AICF, forcing the sports body to arrange for a replica of the prized possession and tender an apology. It is a rolling trophy awarded to the best contingent. The incident came to light when the International Chess Federation (FIDE) asked for the trophy to be brought to Budapest. AICF vice-president Anil Kumar Raizada told PTI that the trophy has been missing for over a month and it came after the International Chess Federation (FIDE) had asked for the trophy to be brought to Budapest. “After we received a request from FIDE for the trophy to be brought, we could not trace it for over 30 days. As a result, we have filed an official police complaint, and an investigation will follow,” he said. The contingency plan is in place to get a replacement …

Indian chess federation left red-faced as Chess Olympiad’s Nona Gaprindashvili Cup, given to India at Chennai 2022, goes missing | Chess News

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IN WHAT could become a major embarrassment for India, the ‘Nona Gaprindashvili Cup’, which is awarded to the best performing contingent at the Chess Olympiad, is learnt to have been misplaced by the All India Chess Federation (AICF). Three AICF office-bearers confirmed this to The Indian Express on Friday. The event is held once in two years, and the Indian team had won the trophy at the last Chess Olympiad in Chennai in 2022. It is learnt that a few weeks back, the global governing body of chess, FIDE, sent an email to the AICF requesting that India return the trophy, so that it could be handed to the winners of the ongoing Chess Olympiad in Budapest on Sunday, after the end of Round 11. It was only then that the current AICF administration, which took charge on March 10 this year, reportedly realised that the trophy was supposed to be in India. A search was then launched — at the AICF offices in New Delhi and Chennai, as well as the Chennai hotel where …