Indians chess players have been making waves in major international outings. The last year was a dream thanks to D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali and the members of the golden Olympiad teams. The new year has started with R Praggnanandhaa clinching the star-studded Tata Steel event in the Netherlands.
Did anybody notice? None of the events the Indians excelled at were held in India. The country which hosted the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai is still bereft of an annual competition which attracts top players. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) wants to host two elite events in 2025, but details have not been disclosed yet. India is one of those rare countries with such a strong presence at the highest level which doesn’t have a regular, world-class tournament on its own soil.
The Delhi International Open in its 21st edition promises something different, albeit a notch below the top tier. Gukesh had secured his third and final Grandmaster norm from this event in 2019. To be played from June 7-14, the latest version has a total prize pool of Rs 1.21 crore. It is conducted by Delhi Chess Association (DCA), an affiliated unit of AICF. For the first time, players in this competition will be awarded points for the FIDE Circuit, which can play a part towards qualification for the Candidates meet.
“It’s a bit early to confirm who all will be playing this year, but we are expecting around 10 players with Elo ratings of above 2600,” Bharat Singh Chauhan, the president of DCA and chairman of the tournament organising committee, told RevSportz. “We are happy to be staging this event for so many years and maintaining a high standard. It has grown in stature over the years.”
The top 31 in the world at the moment have Elo ratings of 2700 or more. The event to be played in Delhi in a Swiss League format can attract players just below the top rung, which makes it a huge opportunity for Indian youngsters. To increase rating points by playing against higher-ranked opponents in international events, they have to travel abroad. The Goodricke Open in Kolkata used to be an oasis for players who couldn’t afford that. The Delhi International Open fills that void.
“Upcoming Indian players need tournaments like this,” said Chauhan, who is a former secretary of the AICF. “The one in Kolkata was well organised and saw some good players over the years, but it didn’t last as long as this one. It’s not easy to stage an event of such scale — with close to 2500 players in three categories — these days. Thankfully, we have support,” added the official.
Seeing Indians participate in and dominate the top tournaments, it’s difficult to understand how they get there. Collecting norms and increasing rating points is essential in this journey. Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun and a number of their contemporaries and seniors got that taste of a strong field at home, in the Delhi International Open. Indian chess needs elite events for sure. Competitions like these will still remain pertinent because they act as the feeder line.