City gets a new chess academy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Although the city has quite a large number of chess enthusiasts, few chess academies have sprung up here over the years. The latest one, which opened the other day, is named after Viswanathan Anand. Kerala State Sports Council secretary P S Abdul Rassak inaugurated the Anand Chess Academy at Oolampara Junction by moving a Queen’s Pawn.‘’The academy can seat up to 30 students at a time and we are targeting beginners and players who have had some level of exposure to the game,’’ said P Venugopalan, director, Anand Chess Academy, and general secretary, Chess Association-Kerala.The academy’s declared aim is to provide a ‘scientific base’ in playing chess, often called the king of all games. ‘’We also plan to conduct regular camps and tournaments so that the students get an exposure to tournament playing,’’ Venugopalan said. There will also be senior-level camps on the game such as chess openings and the endgames.The new academy is a branch of the Anand Chess Academy, which Venugopalan runs at the Deshaposhini Library Complex, Kuthiravattom, Kozhikode. Venugopalan, who has now shifted base to Thiruvananthapuram, will be in charge of the Oolampara academy. Venugopalan presided over the inaugural function. Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association president Dr Prameela Devi and Unnikrishnan also spoke.