Three prizes were set up for Chess Olympiad and their presentation was held today. Worldsport.ge talked to famous Georgian chess player, international grandmaster and 6-time champion of Chess Olympiad (1969-86) Nana Aleksandria about this event.

- I think Georgia’s women and men’s teams have successful start. It is good that Bela Khotenashvili won the nomination of the best game of the second round.

Georgia’s women team can become champion because the main favorite China has weak composition and another favorite Russia unexpectedly lost to Uzbekistan.

As for men’s team, they can get in Top 10.

- Georgian Chess Federation set up three new prizes at this Olympiad…

- One prize is dedicated to the memory of Georgian grandmaster Nino Khurtsidze who passed away this spring and she would have turned 43 on September 28. Nino Khurtsidze was international grandmaster (1993), international master among men (1996), two-time champion of Georgia among women (1989, 1993) and men (1998), European champion (1992), two-time U-20 world champion (1993, 95), second and third prize winner of World Chess Olympiads (2000, 1998) and three-time World University champion. Chess player Maia Lomineishvili’s idea was to set up the tournament named after Khurtsidze and now memorial prize is decided to be set up. The presentation will be held today because today is Nino’s birthday. U-20 best chess player girl will be awarded with this prize.

Besides this, it was my idea and press center set up other two prizes – this is “choice” and it will be given to those man and woman chess players who have good personal qualities and relationship with journalists. Journalists will name winners. If two chess players receive equal number of votes, Jean-Michel Pechine’s, head of press center, vote is decisive.

- You played at Chess Olympiad for the first time almost 50 years ago…

- It was 1969. Nona Gaprindashvili, Alla Kushnir and I went to Poland and became champions. I will never forget it…

Tengiz Chobanidze, specially for worldsport.ge from Batumi