Viswanathan Anand to miss Asiad

Zeenews Bureau New Delhi: Indian challenge at the chess event in the upcoming Asian Games suffered a blow after World Champion Viswanathan Anand and Grand Master Koneru Humpy opted out. The pullout by the top two players means that the Chess Federation will be once again be forced to field the same team that represented India in last month’s chess Olympiad. Both the players have opted out citing other commitments. "AICF Secretary had approached Anand to play in the Asian Games. But he said he will not be available," Delhi Chess Association President Bharat Singh Chauhan, who has been named team manager of the 10-member squad said. The Indian chess team is expecting to win a few medals in the Games with the team throwing up a strong challenge in the men’s and women’s team as well as the individual rapid events. Koneru Humpy won a couple of gold medals in the last Asiad in Doha back in 2006. The Asian Games begin on 12th November in Guangzhou, China. The Team: Men: K Sasikiran, P Hari Krishna, Surya Shekhar Ganguly, G N Gopal and B Adhiban. Women: D Harika, Tania Sachdev, Eesha Karavade, S Meenakshi and Nisha Mohota. Coaches: Lev Psakhis and Oleg Romanishin; Manager: Bharat Singh Chauhan.