Seventy-one players are leading with two full points in the 318-player State Level Open Chess Tournament organised by the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association.

It is part of the FIDE World Chess Championship festival and is played for the Chief Minister’s trophy.

The top seed is International Master V.A.V. Rajesh. This event runs from November 16-18, 2013. It has a first prize of Rs.100,000.
Each of the 32 districts are allowed ten entries, eight of them will be men and two ladies. The chief arbiter is R.K. Balagunasekaran of Mannargudi.

The second and third seeds are M Kunal and V Haribalu. They have also won both their games. Seven rounds remain to be played in this three day event.