An international Chess Grandmaster, Nigel Short and Vice President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) will visit Tonga this week, to hold a Chess Simultaneous Exhibition and promote the sport of chess.

The chess exhibition will be held at Hotel Nuku'alofa on Wednesday, 16 November.

Mr Short has been touring the region in an effort to increase the support for the sport and establish federations.

He said, "this is a very good chance for players to refresh and beginners to start and I am looking forward to meet and assist and show Tongans how easy it is to play chess, and fall in love with the game."

For the Exhibition, Mr Short will lay out 10 chessboards. He will play all 10 opponents at once.

While in Tonga he will also be meeting with officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sport, and the National Olympic Committee, in order to develop chess in primary and secondary schools, and to the general public.

He has visited the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.