Kathmandu: Nepali chess players departed for Shanghai and Almaty on Sunday following separate invitations from the China Chess Federation and the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.

Nepali chess team will compete in the Eighth Shanghai Cooperation Organisation International Team Chess Championship, scheduled from April 7 to 12 in China.

Top ranked rapid players, including national champion FIDE Master Rupesh Jaiswal and Dolakha’s Ashish Phuyal, along with women’s top seed Kriti Sara Adhikari, will participate in China. Tara Bahadur Ranabhat, the treasurer of Nepal Chess Association will lead the team.

Students of Marvellous Higher Secondary School, the winners of the second National School Championship, will represent Nepal in Almaty, Kazakhstan, during Asian Continental stage of the FIDE ISCF World School Team Championship from April 6 to 11.

A total of five players — Nihana Shrestha, Suhani Singh, Kristi Rijal, Brijnand Das Tamta, and Aakarshan Kunwar— will compete in the international junior event.

Nepal Chess Association’s rating officer IA Nirajan Prajapati will serve as team manager, while Rajendra Rajbhandari is the coach.

Nepal Chess Association President Herakaji Maharjan and Spokesperson Raju Tamrakar among others bade farewell to the team at Tribhuvan International Airport on Sunday.