Drunk chess player carried from tournament

KOLKATA, India, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- A champion French chess player allegedly showed up drunk and passed out on his board at a grandmaster tournament in Kolkata, India, officials said.

Vladislav Tkachiev had to be carried out of the Kolkata Open Grandmaster Tournament after he passed out during a game against Tamil Nadu's Praveen Kumar, who was awarded the game point, the Indian Express reports.

The match lasted more than an hour, with Tkachiev, 35, repeatedly nodding off over his board while contemplating a move, said chess officials in Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta.

Tournament organizers in Gorky Sadan vowed to discipline Tkachiev, a native of Russia.

"What happened is unfortunate. It's in bad taste. Once the event is over, we will hold a meeting and decide how to proceed against this player," said Soumen Majumder, an official of the Alekhine Chess Club.