It was a game which became an obsession so consuming that it wrecked the personal and political lives of two noblemen in Munshi Premchand’s short story set in the Indian kingdom of Awadh which Satyajit Ray brilliantly brought to life on celluloid in his film ‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’. Chess, or chaturanga as it was known in the ancient times is more than just a mind game. On a metaphorical level chess can capture the power of the human mind and imagination like no other.

Ancient origins of chess remain obscure though there is fair consensus on the claim that it emerged from Persia. Around the 9th century it began its spread towards Europe and by the time the 15th century closed, chess as we know it today had pretty much emerged. In the five subsequent centuries, chess as a game became more and more organised culminating in the establishment of FIDE (Federation Internationale des Echecs) in 1924 which helped it emerge as a professional sport. Initially the Soviet Union, for whom chess and politics would always be intricately strung, refused to join but after the incumbent world champion Alexander Alekhine died in 1946 and with FIDE organising the World Championship to find the replacement, it relented. The new champion was Mikhail Botvinnik who heralded an assembly line of Soviet champions in the sport including the most recognisable ones - Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov.

The Indian challenge in the world of chess has perennially been personified by one man-the unassuming and affable Vishwanathan Anand. Anand, the current World Champion and on top of the FIDE’s Elo ratings (a rating system for chess players), emerged meteorically winning the World Junior Chess championship in 1987 and becoming grandmaster at age 18. Today, inspired by his achievements many chess prodigies have emerged from India including Koneru Hampi who is currently number two in the Women’s Elo Ratings. K Visweswaran, a chess trainer who was India’s coach in the recently concluded World Youth Chess Championship believes ‘Anand’s exploits have inspired children to take up chess in India, even at very young ages and with good trainers around and rigorous tournaments, it has meant a boom in the emergence of chess talent on the world stage from India.’

Given its nature, chess requires consummate skill to master and is often seen as the sport of the ‘geeks’. Parimarajan Negi, the World’s Youngest Grandmaster at age 14 told TSI about the secret behind his success ‘I have coaches from Russia with whom I have intensive training sessions.’ In India, and in many other places in the world it remains a special interest sport, the proverbial poorer cousin of other glamourous and lucrative sports. Reefat Bin Sattar, the International Grandmaster from Bangladesh laments to TSI that in his country ‘With cricket catching the fancy it’s very difficult to get people interested in chess, since there is no patronage.’ But for those who have tasted the addiction of this heady mindsport, there cannot be anything better. Just ask Mirza Sajjad Ali and Mir Roshan Ali in ‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’!

From and Article in The Sunday Indian

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VISWANATHAN ANAND'S way to the world crown began in l975. Much of the way he followed from the time he became the Asian Junior Champion in 1984 and the World Junior Champion in l987, is remembered. But few recall how Madras laid the foundations for Anand's march to the top but also for the city becoming the chess capital of India.

Solar K. S. Subramanya Iyer of the Ramani Press in Mylapore and the Chennapuri Andhra Maha Sabha, by the Town Hall (the Victoria Public Hall) in Park Town, may have been the chief centres of the game in the l930s and 40s, but while both tried to increase the numbers playing in their premises, there was little effort to develop it as a major competitive sport. That effectively began with the emergence of one Madras player who was to dominate the Indian chess scene in the Fifties and Sixties. Today, 65-year old Manuel Aaron, nine times National Champion and India's first International Master in l96l, is less known in the wider world than his son Arvind Aaron, who has covered extensively in print Anand's exploits during the last few years. It was the Burma- born, Indian Bank-employed Aaron Senior's achievements that particularly caught the attention of chess fans and his Inter- Zonal match against Purdy of Australia that inspired a generation of chess players in Madras.

The founding of the Madras District Chess Association in 1970 and the sponsorship by the Soviet Cultural Centre the same year of the Tal Club that gave this generation a chance to play more competitive chess, were the impetus the game needed. But it was to be eight more years before Madras produced the country's next two International Masters, V.Ravikumar and V.Ravisekhar. Chess played at a higher level, however, was now on its way.

Ever since the Tal Club was founded, every chess player from in and around the city has benefited as much from friendly matches and the lightning chess competitions played there as they have from its chess library, which, besides a wealth of chess books and magazines, offers publications from the numerous Tal Clubs round the world.

The Tal Clubs, named after the l960 world champion Mikhail Tal, have done more to spread the Russocentric game around the world than any other institution. It was at the Tal Club in Madras that, encouraged by players and administrators like Manuel Aaron, Anand as a child honed his game by participating almost daily in speed chess. While lauding Anand's achievements, the Indian chess world and its fans might spare a thought or two for Manuel Aaron who put Indian chess on the modern world chess map and the Tal Club, Madras, that helps keep producing champions.

Anurag Mhamal is the latest chess sensation of Goa, having won the state championship in 2007. A young lad of barely 12 years, he had achieved much in chess at this young age

Having had an attacking approach to the game right from an early age, he has gained many admirers especially at the National level.

It all started when he was barely six-years-old. After watching a chess championship the young Anurag Mahamal found himself drawn towards the game. His father, a chess player himself, gave him all the encouragement and support needed to enhance his game. Anurag then went on to play in an under-7 tournament and won a medal at the first attempt. He has taken part in tournaments in almost all the age groups in Goa till date, invariably coming first or second. But it is at the nationals that he has made his mark. In the under-8 tournament held at Sangli he won the second place in 2003 and the first place in 2005. His best at the National level however remains the tenth position, which he achieved at Chennai last year.

His rise has been phenomenal this year as he has gained a number of ELO points – his points have touched 2035. He finished in a commendable 19th position at the Rochess Rating Championship at Mumbai having drawn with International Master (IM) A B Vaidya, ex-National ‘B’ Champion, and with WIM Anupama Gokhale, ex-National women’s champion. In the same tournament comprising of over 200 players he went on to beat the under-25 champion, Arjun Tiwari. The other rating tournaments in which he featured this year included the Suraj International Rating at Sangli where he defeated IM Ravi Hegde , the ex-National ‘B’ champion, and the Babukaka Rating tournament at Sangli where he came 17th in a highly competitive field.

When quizzed as to how much time he devotes to chess he replied that he spends no less than five to six hours a day practicing on the computer

Anurag’s initial coaching was done by V Sivaswamy but later he trained under the watchful eye of IM Ravi Shekhar from Bangalore. But it was only this year when he trained under Akash Thakur that he learnt in full earnest how to use and analyse the computer.

Yet for any guidance his father Arvind Mhamal is always there to lend a helping hand.

‘Anurag has all the potential for becoming a big player in India, but for that he has to be very consistent. At times he beats much fancied players only to loose against lower ranked players later on,’ says Anurag. But it is the drive and enthusiasm for the game that keeps him going and he has led his school, Peoples High School to a runner-up position in the inter-school championships.

Of late Anurag has been concentrating at all National and International Open tournaments, and hence is not much heard of at the State level tournaments.

Yet like any other young boy of his age, he loves playing table tennis and is a voracious reader.

From The Navhind Times