Ludhiana’s Arvinder Preet on Monday became the first Indian ever to win the FIDE World Amateur Championship in the under-2300 category.
FIDE, the Fédération Internationale des Échecs or the World Chess Federation, had started the championship to encourage the non-professional chess players in the world.
Arvinder became world champion in the event which was held at Cagliari in Italy, reported The Tribune. He had a rating of 2069. Seeded 26 in the tournament which had 45 players, he played with extreme skills and precision to win the championship.
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Arvinder, 36, who works as a technician with the Indian railways at Sahnewal, achieved glory in the very first International tournament he had taken part in.
He has been playing chess since the year 1996. A state champion in Punjab as many as four times, he has also won several other national tournaments.