New Delhi, May 17 : With a record prize pool of Rs 1.21 crore, the Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament, organised by the Delhi Chess Association, is all set for its 21st edition from June 7 to 14 at Tivoli Gardens, Chattarpur, New Delhi.

A marquee calendar event on the FIDE World Championship Circuit, the tournament has played a pivotal role in shaping the rise of India's chess stars, including past winners Arjun Erigaisi and Aravindh Chithambaram, R. Praggnanandhaa, and World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, who earned his final GM norm here to become a Grandmaster.

Organised under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation, the Delhi GM Open has grown into the largest classical-format chess tournament in Asia by participation. This year, the Delhi GM Open will host over 2,500 players from more than 15 countries, including 20 Grandmasters, competing across three rating-based categories. The prize pool marks a 168 per cent increase from last year's edition.

Category A carries a Rs 51 lakh prize pool and is open to internationally rated players. Categories B and C, for players rated below 1900 and 1700, respectively, will offer Rs 35 lakh each. All matches will follow FIDE rules and the FIDE Swiss System format, with 10 rounds in every section.

Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Chess Association president Bharat Singh Chauhan said, 'Over the past two decades, the Delhi GM Open hasn't just kept pace with the rise of chess in India, but has helped drive it. We've seen the sport move from the margins to the mainstream, and this tournament reflects that shift in every sense, from the scale of participation to the depth of competition and the infrastructure supporting it. With every edition, we're strengthening the foundations for a sustainable, high-performance chess culture in the country.'

Category A games will follow a classical time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one, with the top three prizes set at Rs 7,00,000, Rs 6,00,000 and Rs 5,00,000 respectively. The top ten finishers in this category will each receive Rs 1,00,000 or more while special prizes of Rs 1,00,000 each will be awarded to the Best Female Player and Best Foreign Player.

Category B and C games will follow a 60-minute-plus-30-second time limit and 30-minute-plus-30-second formats, respectively. Entry is free for Grandmasters, International Masters, Women Grandmasters, and Women International Masters.

/IANS