Bangladesh, a country which produced the first grandmaster in the subcontinent through Niaz Murshed back in 1987, quite arguably, has miserably failed to live up to its expectation in the game of chess whereas neighbouring India, who had their first GM in Vishwanathan Anand in 1988, progressed in leaps in bounds over the years to become a global powerhouse at present.

TOTAL MALE PLAYERS: 1586

The Daily Star (DS): You bagged the grandmaster appellation back in 2008. Tell us about that achievement.

Premier Division Chess League, powered by Shah Cement, will see the highest number of Grand Masters participating in the tournament’s history. Seven of the 12 teams consist of a total of 18 GMs in the league, starting tomorrow at the Asia Hotel and Resort in Dhaka.

Indian teenage chess grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa won praise Tuesday for a stunning victory over world number one Magnus Carlsen in an online championship.

With less than three months’ training, Poly Khatun and Mim Akhter, children from the slums of Mirpur, have defeated internationally rated chess players. 

Grand Master Enamul Hossain Rajib became champion in the Golden Jubilee of Independence 46th National Premier Chess Championship by beating FM Subrota Biswas in the 13th and final round in Dhaka yesterday.

The Daily Star (DS): How much do you enjoy still playing chess at the age of 77? RH: I love playing chess, that's why I am still playing it. While it is true that I'm taking on many budding players or even the third generation, but theyget opportunities we didn’t have during our childhood. We were asked to play outdoors instead of sitting in front of the chess board. Chess was once a game of aged players but it has turned into a game for children. I am playing chess with the same enthusiasm I had from the beginning mainly because I have nothing much to do at home.

GM Ziaur Rahman could not topple GM Enamul Hossain Razib in the Golden Jubilee of Independence 46th National Premier Chess Championship after playing out a draw against his son – Tahsin Tajwar Zia in the championship’s fifth round at the Crown Hall of Hotel Asia Resorts in Paltan yesterday.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov, 17, dethroned Magnus Carlsen as World Rapid Chess Champion in Warsaw on Tuesday by beating Ian Nepomniachtchi in a tiebreaker.

Norway’s Magnus Carlsen claimed his fifth world chess crown in Dubai on Friday with a crushing 7.5-3.5 victory against Ian Nepomniachtchi, who faded badly after going toe-to-toe with the Norwegian defending champion in the early games.

Indian International Master (IM) Sankalp Gupta grabbed the title of Joytu Sheikh Hasina International Grand Masters Chess Tournament at the close of ninth round game at Aarokanon Ballroom of Hotel 71 in Paltan yesterday.

To mark the 75th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF) is all set to organise a grand tournament titled Joytu Sheikh Hasina International Grand Master Chess Tournament with the participation of 12 GMs from 10 nations.

Grandmaster (GM) Niaz Murshed's dream to play the second round of FIDE World Cup came to an end tonight when the country’s first GM lost to 218 points higher ranked Paraguayan GM Neruis Delgado Ramirez in both blitz games after the first four rapid games in tiebreaker segment failed to separate both GMs in Sochi, Russia.

Country's first Grandmaster Niaz Murshed kept his chances of making the second round of FIDE World Cup alive after beating Paraguayan GM Neruis Delgado Ramirez in the second match of the first round to level it 1-1 in Sochi, Russia on Tuesday.

Bangladesh's two leading Grandmasters -- Niaz Murshed and Ziaur Rahman -- both tasted defeats in their first matches of the Chess World Cup, which got underway in the Russian city of Sochi yesterday.