The qualifier for entry into the 2020 National Chess Championship which was scheduled to begin yesterday has been postponed to next Saturday, February 1, at the National Stadium, Providence. The qualifier is a single round-robin competition over two successive weekends, which will see nine players proceeding to the National Championship. They will be joined by last year’s national chess champion who is not required to play in the qualifier.
We are already aware of the players likely to go forward into the national championship based on their FIDE ratings and recent tournament successes. However, I share the view with some that the national championship itself should be a tournament as impartial as possible. This means it should be a double round robin instead of a single one, as it is at present. With a double round robin, each participant has the opportunity to play both the black and the white pieces. This would guarantee fairness and ensure the championship is evenly matched.
