Chess should embrace franchise leagues more to enhance its popularity, feels Viswanathan Anand. The way the IPL has taken cricket to different corners in the globe, chess, too, can spread its wings via leagues.
At the moment, there’s only one significant franchise-based chess league in the world, the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) that features six mixed teams. Anand spoke about the game having the space for a lot more.
“The franchise concept in chess is very much going to help the game,” said the five-time world champion, at the RevSportz’s Trailblazers 2.0 Conclave. “I’m very hopeful that the Tech Mahindra League, the first edition of which was played last year, will show the way. Chess is experimenting with new formats, new time control etc. All this is to connect with potential chess fans.”
The session was titled The Chess Revolution in India. There was a time when India didn’t have a single Grandmaster. Anand was the first to receive the title in 1988. Circa 2024, and India has 85 GMs. In the upcoming Candidates, five Indian players will be participating.
“Whatever today Indian chess is, it’s because of Vishy Anand,” said Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua. “Because of his exceptional performances, youngsters took to chess. The entire perception about the game has changed. Now he (Anand) is working with the young players.”
How do you produce a champion? As Anand pointed out, there’s no magic formula. “It’s not much in your control,” he said. “But if you have the right set-up, you eventually do.”
The ongoing conclave is also providing the biggest platform for cross-sport dialogue in the country, and Anand stressed upon its importance.
Maria Emelianova, FIDE master and renowned chess photographer, spoke about how the global perception about the Indian chess players has changed. “Everyone is scared to play Indian kids now,” she said before wowing the audience with a few words in Bengali. “Indian chess is going through a boom.”