Aditya Samant becomes India’s 83rd Grandmaster at Biel Chess Festival

Aditya Samant becomes India’s 83rd Grandmaster at Biel Chess Festival: Aditya Samant, hailing from Maharashtra, achieved the title of India’s 83rd Grandmaster by obtaining his third GM norm during the Master Tournament (MTO) at the Biel International Chess Festival. His adventure began in August 2022 with his first GM norm at the Abu Dhabi Masters, followed by his second GM norm at the 3rd El Llobregat Open in December of the same year.

Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 2023

Samant’s Quest for GM Norm at BielChess MTO 2023 Tournament

Drawing his eighth-round game against Bu Xiangzhi, Samant needs to play just one more round, irrespective of the result, to achieve the GM norm. As he enters the ninth round, his live rating stands at 2525.4. In the ninth round of the BielChess MTO 2023 event in Switzerland, Samant faced Aryan Chopra.

Grandmaster (GM): The Highest Title in Chess Awarded by FIDE

The title of Grandmaster (GM) is bestowed upon chess players by the world chess organization FIDE. It is the highest title attainable for a chess player, second only to the World Champion title. To be awarded the Grandmaster title, a player must achieve a 2500 FIDE classical (or ‘standard’) rating and obtain three GM norms, as currently prescribed by FIDE.

The Biel Chess Festival 2023

The Biel Chess Festival 2023 was held in Biel, Switzerland, from the 17th to the 27th of July, and featured a 10-round Swiss tournament format. Competing players had 100 minutes for their initial 40 moves, followed by 15 minutes for the remaining part of the game, alongside a 30-second increment for each move right from the beginning.
Lê Quang Liêm emerged victorious as the champion, while Indian player Aryan Chopra secured an impressive third position in the tournament.

Key takeaways for competitive examinations

• 2023 FIDE World Champion: Ding Liren