Top IMs, GMs for Kozhikode chess

Leading International Masters and Grandmasters from 20 countries will vie for top honours in the international chess tournament, to be held in Kozhikode from December 16 to 25.

Rated as one of the leading events in the country, about 60 players including a dozen Grandmasters and over a score of internationals will battle it out in the ten-day championship.

Commonwealth champion and the world's youngest Grandmaster 14-year-old Pendalya Harikrishna, World junior girls' champion Koneru Humpy, Grandmasters Dibyendu Barua, Abhijit Kunte and K Sasikiran are among those who will represent India.

Other notable players participating are Eugeny Vladimirov of Kazakistan, Sariostnov and Zorakin of Russia, Nias Murshad from Bangladesh, Nigel Short of England, Davo Tian of Vietnam, Al Modekki of Qatar and Megami Ihsan from Iran.