The Seventh United Insurance Grand Masters' Chess Tournament, which was scheduled to start today at the National Sports Council auditorium, has been deferred by a day to accommodate the arrival of some foreign players.

Already twenty Indian players including one Grand Master, one Women Grand Master and seven International Masters are in the city to take part in the country's premier international chess tournament.

About 50 rated players from seven countries including eight GMs, ten IMs and one WGM are expected to compete in the elevenround Swiss League competition.

The tournament had to be deferred as two Uzbek Grand Masters Uldachev Saidali and Safin Shukrat, Russian GM Alexander Fominyh of Russia and Philippines GM Antonio Rorelio Jr are expected to reach the capital today.

The Bangladesh Chess

Federation (BCF) as ever pinned its hopes on local players, especially three International Masters because they have a real chance to collect a GM norm after the federation revised the tournament format from being played on round robin league basis.

Reefat-Bin-Sattar and Abdullah

Al Rakib have two GM norms and they need one more to become Bangladesh's third Grand Master after Niaz Murshed and Ziaur Rahman. However, Enamul Hossain FROM PAGE 12

Rajib has just one norm.

"We hope they can achieve the all-important norm from the tournament but it won't be easy as they face a serious challenge from some really good foreign players," said Syed Sujauddin Ahmed, general secretary of BCF at a press conference yesterday.

"All the previous tournaments were robin league, but this time we have arranged the meet on Swiss League, so that more players can earn norms," he said.

Both players need 8.5 points from matches involving three GMs and five IMs or Fide Masters to earn a GM norm. Besides, the rating average of 11 players would be 2381.

The local challenge, which will be led by Ziaur and Niaz, also sees Fide Master Sheikh Nasir Ahmed, Khondaker Aminul Islam, Abu Sufian Shakil, Mehdi Hasan Parag, Mohammad Javed and national women's champion Shamima Akhter Liza competing.

The champion will receive $1,600 while the runner-up gets $1,100 respectively. Sponsors United Insurance and United Leasing Company is bearing the entire expenses of the meet amounting to Tk 10 lakh.