An 18-member Bangladesh chess team left Dhaka for the Maldives Wednesday to participate in the Western Asian Youth Chess Championships 2022 for under-8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 age groups' open and girls' division, starting Thursday in Ukulhas Island of the Maldives.

The Bangladesh team of 14 players will compete in the meet to be played in three methods – standard, rapid and blitz. 

The players are CM Manon Reja Neer, WFM Noshin Anjum (open under-18), Kazi Zarin Tasnim (girls' under-18), Mohammad Saker Ullah (open under-16), Jannatul Ferdousi (girls' under-16), Md Sajidul Haque and Syed Ridwan (open under-14), Ishrat Jahan Diba (girls' under-14), Sakline Mostafa Sajid (open under-12), Aiyan Rahman (open under-10), Warsia Khusbu (girls' under-10) and Raiyan Rashid Mughda and Safayet Kibria (open under-8). 

The winners of the championship will be awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. 

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The participants of the competition also have opportunities to gain direct titles of the international master, women's international master, FIDE master, female FIDE master, candidate master and female candidate master.

Earlier, the Asian Chess Federation appointed Md Haroon Or Rashid, the International Chess Arbiter of Bangladesh, as the chief arbiter of the championship, and he reached the Maldives Tuesday.