All players, especially the younger ones, look forward to the Global Chess League. It’s a first of its kind event, featuring the best players in the world, divided into six teams of six each. The younger ones have plenty of incentive, because they get to interact with the top guns and watch them from close quarters. Other than winning and losing, it’s a learning opportunity for them.
It’s no different for Raunak Sadhwani. The 18-year-old is one of the brightest young prospects in world chess. He is one of the six players in the ‘prodigy’ category, which is essentially for junior players. All teams have to have one of them. Other than approaching the competition with great expectations, Raunak has something to atone for. His team Balan Alaskan Knights had finished bottom in 2023. He was not satisfied with his performance. Representing Mumba Masters this time, he wants to make amends.
“Since last year, I have gained a lot of rating points. I have become much better in general,” Raunak told RevSportz in a chat related to GCL. “Last year when I played this league, I was 2610 and now I am around 2660 (2659). I have improved quite a bit in this period. I have not done anything special to prepare. I will just be playing my best chess and not take pressure. Last year I was doing that. The start wasn’t great, which kept me under pressure throughout the tournament. This year, I will take it one game at a time.”
Raunak should feel ‘at home’ during the tournament to be played in London from October 3-10. His team, Mumba Masters, is the only one which has four Indians. The ‘prodigy’ will be in the august company of Vidit Gujrathi, Koneru Humpy and D Harika. The other two players in the side are Maxim Vachier-Lagrave and Alexander Grischuk.
“It’s very nice, as we know each other pretty well. It’s very good for the team spirit. In general, all the players, like MVL for example, are super friendly. It’s a good team to be in. It’s a unique event and I am very excited. I am looking forward to going there and play,” said Raunak, who is taking part in the Bundesliga at the moment.
The player from Nagpur has been a ‘prodigy’ in the true sense. He was 13 when he became a Grandmaster. His exploits immediately marked him out as a player to watch out for. He has lived up to the expectations so far and made steady progress. A part of the India B team which won the Chess Olympiad bronze in 2022, he wants to make the most of this GCL opportunity now.
Asked about the avenues of benefitting from this competition, Raunak said: “It’s a very good thing because you get the experience of playing in team tournaments. Hopefully, there will be more leagues, where this experience will help. It’s also a fun event. It’s one game a day, which is not too stressful. Usually, when you play rapid, it’s four-five games a day, which gets tiring after a point.”
Fewer games mean more time for other stuff. Raunak likes travelling. When he isn’t playing, he wants to check out the sights and sounds of London. “I like visiting new places. When I go abroad for tournaments, I usually try to explore the place. It’ll be the same in London. I will go out with my friends and see what is there is to be seen.”
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