International Chess Day 2023: Coaches dive into how fans of the popular game have evolved

A young boy plans his next move

Few games tend to capture one's imagination like a battle over 64 squares of chess does. From authors like Premchand and Umberto Eco to filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Ingmar Bergman, the game has fascinated them all. Yet, in a cricket-crazy city like Mumbai, it might not be the first game that a teenager turns to.

Unknown to many, the city has had a long-running affair with the checkerboard. The heyday arrived in the 1980s when the Zandu Canteen in Parel became a hotbed for chess talent. This was followed by the Prabodhankar Thackeray Sports Complex in Vile Parle in the 1990s. Geeta Punjabi, founder of Chanakya Chess Club and head of Bandra Chess Association has been witness to the evolution since then. "Once upon a time, the game had star power. You had Aamir Khan and Sunil Dutt organising and participating in events," she recalls. It was through these tournaments that names such as Pravin Thipsay and Sharad Tilak emerged.

Participants at a previous tournament by ChessBase India

Growing interest

"This interest has grown further since then; more young grandmasters are emerging in Mumbai and Maharashtra," adds Punjabi. This can be credited to multiple factors including Netflix. Sagar Shah, IM (International Master) and founder of ChessBase India shares, "The game was always growing, but series such as The Queen's Gambit brought back its pop-culture appeal. Credit also goes to several stand-up comedians like Biswa Kalyan Rath, Samay Raina and Anirban Dasgupta, who popularised the game during and after the pandemic. They made fans realise that chess can be cool as well." Shah points to the recent Global Chess League in Dubai as proof of the rising interest in the game.

Accessibility has also made things easier. Nagesh Guttula, chess coach, CEO, South Mumbai Chess Academy reveals, "I have noticed a growing demographic between the ages of 20 years and 50 years taking to the game. They work through the week, but play tournaments on the weekend."

Sagar Shah, Nagesh Guttula and Rahul Joshi

Logging into the game

The pandemic also transformed the game from a participatory event to a viewership-driven sport. Raina, for instance, hosts regular streaming sessions that are quite popular. "The online community has grown exponentially since the pandemic. It has drawn in audiences who range from teens to the middle-aged adults,"
she mentions.

Guttula remarks that an online tournament is not the same as sitting across from your opponent. "The online platforms are great learning models, but children need to play more tournaments," he says.

Lack of tournaments

While the talent in Mumbai is growing, there is a need for more ranking tourneys to be held in and around the city. Rahul Joshi, senior trainer at Joshi's Chess Academy, says, "Most Sundays will witness gatherings in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. Things are improving, but I would love to see more rating events happen in the city, too." The organising issues and high rent rates make hosting a rating event challenging, he admits.

Guttula agrees, saying that the city needs more tournaments along with the Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA) championships. "We have superb talent at the top level, and need tournaments to sharpen up."

For Shah though, there are other factors at play. He points out that Mumbai has always been a commercial city. "Many of the talented kids, at some point during their life, have to choose between chess and a financially-stable career. That is why we did not have a grandmaster for 25 years till
16-year old Aditya Mittal in 2022," he remarks.

Things are beginning to change now. There is growing interest among organisers. Joshi remarks that travel and online accessibility have opened up new opportunities for players across the city and neighbouring metropolises.

As Shah puts it, the next world championship might just be the big moment for the sport in India.

Sign up for these

. Tandem Simul
On Today; 5 pm onwards
At Phoenix Market City, LBS Marg, Kurla West.
Free

. 11th Finer Things Chessclub Invitational
On July 26; 7.30 pm onwards
At Gateway Taproom, Hari Chambers, Kala Ghoda, Fort.
Free

. Category Chess Tournament
On July 30; 9 am onwards
At The Playce, Marathon Maxima, LBS Marg, Mulund West.
Call 9987846713 for details
Cost Rs 700 for entry

. Maharashtra State Under-19 Open & Girls Chess Championship 2023
From August 11 to August 13
At Swaminarayan Hall, behind Parvati Theatre, Vasai West.
Log on to chessevents.co.in