GM Chanda Sandipan at Leiden, 2008
GM Chanda Sandipan from India is one of the strongest players in the Indian group behind Anand. He is currently ranked No. 5 in the country with his Elo rating of 2640 and was once in the top 100 in the world. The 26-year-old has previously participated in Gausdal in 2008, and is guaranteed keen on his first tournament victory on Norwegian soil.
Sandipan, who achieved his grandmaster title in 2003, has been terribly close several times to become the Indian champion, but has lost three playoffs against the same player, Surya Ganguly.
Sandipan represented India at table 4 in the Chess Olympics in 2008. He shared first place in this year’s Gibtelecom tournament in Gibraltar, where he met among others Espen Forså and won with his favorite Sicilian opening.
Tromsø 2014