Nat’l ‘A’ Chess Begins Today
Lost opportunity for Sagar, Shakil
International Masters Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar and Abu Sufian Shakil have lost an opportunity to gain a Grand Master norm from the National ‘A’ Championship, which is schedule to start from today.
In order to achieve a GM norm, Sagar and Shakil’s opponents must have an average rating of 2380 but after calculation it was found to be 2374.Federation officials said the average rating points was lower than the expected level after Grand Master Reefat Bin Sattar failed to confirm his participation in the competition for reasons unknown to all.
‘We invited all five GMs but apart from Reefat others have confirmed their participation. We repeatedly called Reefat, e-mailed him but he did not respond,’ said Gazi Saiful Tareq, general secretary of the BCF.
‘If Reefat had competed in the tournament the average rating would have gone higher and the young players would have gotten the opportunity to increase their rating points and earn some norms.’
Sagar, rated 2377, and Shakil, rated 2354, will now just play to increase their rating.
Harunur Rashid, an international arbiter, informed that both Abdullah Al Rakib and Enamul Hossain Rajib won a GM norm from this tournament in 2007.
Since 2007 the average rating of this tournament has become low denying our players a norm,’ he said.
Reefat’s rating is 2450, so if he had competed this time both Sagar and Shakil would have a chance.
A disappointed Shakil blamed their fate for the lost the opportunity.
‘After a long time, we were expecting an opportunity to earn a GM norm but we lost the chance due to Reefat Bhai’s absence,’ said Shakil.
A BCF source confirmed that Reefat is currently in Thailand for personal reason and thus his phone was found switched-off.
-With New Age input
