Chess.com India, which is conducting an event called ‘Checkmate COVID Celebrity Edition’ to help members of the chess community who have been affected by the pandemic, unveiled the celebrity lineup of the event on Saturday. Checkmate COVID is scheduled to be held on June 13 and will feature popular Indian celebrities which includes well-known businesspersons and actors, playing half-hour simultaneous games against five-time world champion and Indian chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand.
The celebrities in the lineup include Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, Sandalwood star Kichcha Sudeep, Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, playback singer Arijit Singh, singer-songwriter Ananya Birla, cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, MD of Xiaomi India Manu Kumar Jain, Co-founder of Zerodha Nikhil Kamath, producer Sajid Nadiadwala, and CEO of Xcetra Talent Management Prachura
Held in association with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, the proceeds will be used to provide food to individuals and families who are at risk of hunger amid the devastating second wave of the pandemic. Actors Riteish, Kichcha Sudeep and Hrithik Roshan have posted videos promoting the event and urged fans to contribute to the fundraiser.
Chess.com India had launched the first edition of ‘Checkmate COVID’ event earlier in May to provide financial, medical and emotional support to chess players who have been affected by the pandemic. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) worked along with Chess.com India for the event. As a part of the initiative, Viswanathan Anand and four other Indian Grandmasters played simultaneous online exhibition matches against other chess players to raise funds for COVID-19 relief work in the country.
Thank You @iHrithik ❤️
— Chess.com - India (@chesscom_in) June 8, 2021
Feel free to donate here:https://t.co/mgOmSwr54n@vishy64theking @itherocky @Prachura1 pic.twitter.com/wicJ6swOLM
It’s an absolute honour to play a chess game with former world chess champion @vishy64theking ji on @chesscom_in
— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) June 12, 2021
Come, join us at 5pm on June 13th ▶️ https://t.co/pWiZCHzSRP
Support @AkshayaPatra's mission to #CheckmateCOVID ➡️ https://t.co/eODH5bSStT pic.twitter.com/80dwhEfWBG
Thank You @KicchaSudeep ❤️
— Chess.com - India (@chesscom_in) June 12, 2021
Feel free to donate here:https://t.co/mgOmSwr54n@vishy64theking @Prachura1 @itherocky pic.twitter.com/5ckAwFzkRN
The Checkmate Covid Celebrity Edition will take place this Sunday, June 13th at 5 pm here:https://t.co/dubhSvQApD
— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) June 12, 2021
Come watch me play against some of India's biggest celebrities and fellow chess lovers to help us #CheckmateCovid with @AkshayaPatrahttps://t.co/T4TZvKouMR
Looking forward to playing some exciting chess with:
— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) June 12, 2021
Aamir Khan@riteishd@NGEMovies@arijitsingh@ananya_birla@nikhilkamathcio@manukumarjain@yuzi_chahal@KicchaSudeep
See you all this Sunday, June 13th at 5 pm to #CheckmateCovid with @AkshayaPatra, @chesscom_in & @Prachura1 pic.twitter.com/wSEZuckFB0