Harika Is World Online Blitz Champion

Harika Is World Online Blitz Champion
By Arvind Aaron

Dronavalli Harika of Guntur, India won the World Online Women’s Blitz Chess Championship that concluded at Rome on Nov 26, 2015. More than 300 players from 39 countries took part in the earlier stages played through the Internet. The finals were 8 qualified players and two nominated wild card entrants selected by the FIDE President.

www.fide.com said, “The Olympic Committee of Italy, the Italian Chess Federation, Premium Chess company and other sponsors played a significant role in the organization of the tournament. It was held in the prestigious sports club ‘Circolo Canottieri Aniene’. The President of the club is Mr. Giovanni Malago, President of the Italian National Olympic Committee.”

These events are a big push by the World Chess Federation towards popularising chess on the internet. FIDE’s list of players includes Padmini Rout who was in Kolkata defending her National Premier Women’s Championship.

The finalists are:
GM Dzagnidze Nana (GEO)
GM Kosteniuk Alexandra (RUS)
GM Gunina Valentina (RUS)
GM Dronavalli Harika (IND)
IM Rout Padmini (IND)
IM Zimina Olga (ITA)
WGM Nikolova Adriana (BUL)
IM Gvetadze Sofio (GEO)
IM Vasilevich Irina (RUS)
WGM Foisor Sabina (USA)