Chess Houseboat 2020 commenced in a luxury houseboat in Alappuzha backwaters on Monday.
Billed as the first international chess tournament to be held on a houseboat, it was inaugurated by Rani George, Secretary, Department of Tourism.
The event is being organised on the lines of the Chess Train Tournament hosted by the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia. Around 40 chess players, including from the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and the UAE are participating in the tournament.
It is being organised by Orient Chess Moves, an independent forum headed by Chess Olympian N.R. Anilkumar, in association with Kerala Tourism. The tournament will end on February 2.