The Nagaland Chess Association FIDE Rating Chess Championship 2026 commenced in Kohima with 75 participants.
KOHIMA — The Nagaland Chess Association FIDE Rating Chess Championship 2026 commenced on Thursday at the Nagaland Olympic Association Hall in Kohima, with 75 players from across the state competing in the premier event.
Organised by the Nagaland Chess Association (NCA) under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation, the 22nd edition of the championship was formally inaugurated with a ceremonial opening move by former Nagaland Chess Association President and retired Assistant Development Commissioner K Sekhamo and Director of Technical Education, Nagaland, Vipulhou Lhoungu.
Addressing the participants, Nagaland Chess Association Honorary Secretary and Chief Arbiter Vekukho Soho briefed players on the tournament rules and regulations, stressing fair play, discipline, and adherence to FIDE standards.
He clarified that as an open FIDE-rated tournament, players of all age groups would be paired against one another under the Swiss Manager pairing system, enabling unrated and younger players to compete against rated opponents and earn their FIDE standard ratings.
Soho informed that the championship would be played over eight rounds, instead of the usual nine, due to time constraints. Each player will have a time control of 45 minutes with a 30-second increment from the first move.
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He also reminded participants that the default time for reporting is 30 minutes, after which an absent player would forfeit the game. Electronic devices, including mobile phones and smartwatches, are strictly prohibited in the playing area, and any violation would result in immediate loss of the game under FIDE regulations.
He added that parents and spectators will not be allowed inside the playing hall during games, while players who complete their matches will also be treated as spectators and required to leave the playing area. Both players must sign the scoresheet and submit the result after each game.
Explaining the prize regulations, Soho said cash prizes would not be shared and a player eligible for multiple awards would receive only the highest prize. He further clarified that players possessing only rapid or blitz ratings, but no standard rating, would be considered unrated for prize purposes despite their ratings being used for pairing.
He urged all participants to uphold sportsmanship, avoid communicating with anyone other than their opponent or the arbiter during games, and strictly follow all tournament rules.
Earlier, Joint Secretary of the Nagaland Chess Association Mengise Haikam welcomed the participants and informed that the championship has attracted 75 players, comprising 69 male and six female participants. The field includes six veteran players, 33 students from various schools, 15 players in the under-15 category, 30 in the under-11 category, and 47 players in the open category.
The programme also observed a minute of silence in memory of late Z Sukhavi Achumi, a senior Nagaland Chess Association player and former joint secretary of the association.
The championship will culminate on July 18.