New Delhi, May 3 (IANS): Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand and Asian Games gold medallist Koneru Humpy will kick-start 'Checkmate Covid' -- an All India Chess Federation (AICF) initiative -- on Tuesday to provide medical and financial assistance to those affected by the pandemic.

The AICF in a tweet on Monday wrote, "Introducing Checkmate Covid, an initiative by AICF aimed at providing financial assistance, medical guidance & vaccination support to all the members of the Indian Chess Community to combat Covid-19. The AICF will be launching the #CheckmateCovid Fund to kick-start this initiative."

Anand and Humpy, who will be joined by international chess federation (FIDE) president Arkady Dvorkovich on Tuesday, will play online exhibition matches and the funds collected will go towards 'Checkmate Covid'.

"In the last one month, we have lost 7-8 players and officials to Covid-19. There are more than one lakh FIDE-registered players, referees and officials in the country, many of whom need help with doctors, hospitalisation and vaccination, among others. We will have 10 doctors across the country for consultations 10 hours a day to begin the programme," said AICF secretary BS Chauhan.