India, Aug. 16 -- Ace Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has reservations about plans to convert online chess ratings into a player's first official FIDE rating, arguing that the nature of virtual play makes it difficult to guarantee the same level of integrity as over-the-board competition.

World Chess and FIDE has published a White Paper detailing a proposed two-year experiment to convert online rapid and blitz ratings into a player's first official FIDE rating via World Chess. The proposal outlines fair-play checks, identity verification, and a proposed rating ceiling of 1,800. Arjun said he had not followed the proposal closely but immediately pointed to the fundamental differences between online and over-the-board chess.

"I was not ...