ORGANISERS are expecting tomorrow's Kundan Singh Open Chess Championship to be another intense affair between the two top ranked players in the country.
The tournament will be played at the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee's Olympic House along Bau St in Suva and Candidate Master Calvin Prasad will defend the title.
Fiji Chess Federation general secretary Goru Arvind said former champion CM Manoj Kumar would provide stiff competition to Prasad.
He said the departure of veteran Dr Neel Arora, who finished third in the tournament last year, had opened up the arena for Prasad and Kumar to go head-to-head.
"CM Calvin Prasad, the man who top scored for Fiji in the 2012 Chess Olympiad at Istanbul Turkey at 5.5/11 is the defending champion," Arvind said.
"He has an edge over most local players due to his ability to keep cool under pressure and calculate accurately under most pressing situations," he said.
Arvind added Kumar will be not be a pushover and will be raring to regain the title.
"In contrast, CM Manoj Kumar, who also has won the Kundan Singh Open in past years is more aggressive and brutal in the way he achieves his victories.
"Hence, their first clash in 2013 is bound to raise eyebrows," he said.
Other senior players like Noel Adricula, June Adricula, Christopher Kumar, Goru Arvind and June Clomera are also expected to provide sound competition.