[Source: Fiji Chess/ Facebook]

A 13-member Fiji Chess squad will be announced next month to prepare for the World Chess Olympiad in September.

The selection panel intends to reveal five open and five female players plus two team captains and a head of delegation in mid-February.

This is a massive year for chess due to the World Olympiad and the selectors will assess all potential national reps for the Olympiad based on characteristics like FIDE rating, style of play, adaptability with the potential team and overall discipline.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Vodafone Fiji National Blitz Chess Championship is all set to commence at the University of the South Pacific Campus in Suva on Saturday.

The tournament will be contested across 12 rounds at 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move.

Blitz is a format of chess that puts to test the overall agility of players, forcing them to make quick decisions that may be unusual for their style.