Accra, Feb. 19, GNA - The first National Open Chess Championship for the year 2007 comes off at the North Ridge Hotel in Accra on Saturday, February 24.

Mr Edward Thompson, Tournament Director of the Ghana Chess Association who announced this in Accra on Monday, said about 100 players throughout the country are expected to participate in the one-day competition.

He said the event was also one of the numerous competitions lined up by the Association to keep the players in good shape for international tournaments.

Mr Thompson expressed the hope that the players would respond positively to the call by taking the competition serious so that they can win laurels for themselves and the nation as a whole. He appealed to corporate bodies and institutions to assist the Association with the needed sponsorship to enable them organize more competitions.