<p>The event bettered the existing world record for simultaneous chess competition at a single venue in Mexico four years ago. More than 13,000 players had contested in the Mexico competition in 2006. <br /><br />As Guinness adjudicator Tarika Wala certified the new record, the crowd at the University Ground broke into raptures.<br /><br />Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the brain behind the event, was present on the occasion. <br />The event was organised with an aim of promoting the game of chess in the state. <br />The initiative of the Gujarat government, Gujarat Chess Association and NIIT was clear about erasing the existing Guinness record. <br /><br />Most of the 20,000 participants were schoolchildren. The venue was divided into 64 squares making it look like a chess board. Each square had 320 players and 16 masters with one master playing 20 players.<br /><br />If former world champion Anatoly Karpov had graced the Mexican chess event four years ago, Friday’s event here was graced by current world chess champion Vishwanathan Anand. Anand not only was a special guest, but also played against 50 participants in the end.<br /><br />While 200 masters stood by to deal with emergencies, over 700 volunteers and 600 supervisors monitored every participant and square. <br /><br />The groups of participants were dressed in black or white to match the chessboard squares.<br /></p>
<p>The event bettered the existing world record for simultaneous chess competition at a single venue in Mexico four years ago. More than 13,000 players had contested in the Mexico competition in 2006. <br /><br />As Guinness adjudicator Tarika Wala certified the new record, the crowd at the University Ground broke into raptures.<br /><br />Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the brain behind the event, was present on the occasion. <br />The event was organised with an aim of promoting the game of chess in the state. <br />The initiative of the Gujarat government, Gujarat Chess Association and NIIT was clear about erasing the existing Guinness record. <br /><br />Most of the 20,000 participants were schoolchildren. The venue was divided into 64 squares making it look like a chess board. Each square had 320 players and 16 masters with one master playing 20 players.<br /><br />If former world champion Anatoly Karpov had graced the Mexican chess event four years ago, Friday’s event here was graced by current world chess champion Vishwanathan Anand. Anand not only was a special guest, but also played against 50 participants in the end.<br /><br />While 200 masters stood by to deal with emergencies, over 700 volunteers and 600 supervisors monitored every participant and square. <br /><br />The groups of participants were dressed in black or white to match the chessboard squares.<br /></p>
