Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

Looking at the line-up for the women’s section of Tata Steel Chess India, it’s tempting to say that one name missing is greater than those present. There is no Koneru Humpy in the mix. Bronze medallist at the recent world rapid meet, she remains the strongest Indian woman across formats. In the stalwart’s absence, the focus from the Indian point of view in this rapid and blitz championship is on the younger bunch. They are spearheaded by Divya Deshmukh, followed by R Vaishali, Vantika Agarwal and Rakshitta Ravi. Veteran D Harika is the other Indian in the field of 10…

Few have seen Indian chess up close from so many quarters. Dibyendu Barua has added another feather to his cap. The Grandmaster is going to be Tournament Director at the Tata Steel Open India in Kolkata from January 7-11. This responsibility in one of the top rapid and blitz chess competitions in the world is a prestigious assignment. Other than being a player and a coach who runs an academy, Barua is a vice-president of the All India Chess Federation, apart from being president of the West Bengal state chess body. “Those and this are different kettles of fish,” Barua…

The last-minute withdrawal of D Gukesh has taken sheen off Tata Steel Chess India. The world champion in the classical format was scheduled to clash with Viswanathan Anand in this prestigious rapid and blitz event to be played in Kolkata from January 7-11. Gukesh’s face featured prominently in promotional campaigns and his name was in the list of participants in an official media release dated December 18. There was no formal announcement, but it was learnt that a late development on January 1 meant that the Chennai player wouldn’t be playing in the first top event of the year,…

Pace bowlers hunt in packs. Sometimes, they don’t give up. That’s what the Bengal trio of Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar have been doing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The national 50-over tournament has seen totals above 350 even 400. Yet, these bowlers have shown that batters cannot have all the fun. Jammu and Kashmir is not a star-studded side. They are no pushovers either. To knock them over for 63 was a statement of collective strength that these India discards bring to the table. Hardly any state side has three pacers who have represented India in the…

Arjun Erigaisi’s year of disappointment ended on a bright note. After promising bigger things and falling short of expectations, double bronze at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship was a commendable effort. Erigaisi, with the feat, became the second Indian ever after Viswanathan Anand to finish on the podium at the World Rapid and Blitz. The player from Warangal in Andhra remains the best-placed Indian in world rankings in the classical format. He is the No. 5. The 2024 Chess Olympiad star has been in the top-10 for more than a year now, which has been done only by…

They also won the Olympiad gold in what was a sensational 2024 for Indian chess. One of them went onto win the World Rapid Championship and another claimed bronze in World Blitz. Yet, their performance got overshadowed by the men. As 2025 comes to an end, India’s women chess players can hold their head equally high once again. They possibly outshone their male counterparts. The reading doesn’t look good at the ongoing World Blitz meet in Doha, where the last few matches will be played today. Overall, what they have done is nothing short of fantastic. A few facts. Divya…

The pieces are falling in place, with a question mark over which team finishes second behind Triveni Continental Kings and qualifies for the final of the third edition of the Global Chess League (GCL) played in Mumbai. Two-time defending champions Triveni, spearheaded by the indomitable Alireza Firouzja, have already qualified for the championship duel by securing 21 match points from nine outings. With one more round to go, they are assured of the top spot in the six-team league standings. Firouzja, the player of Iranian origin who represents France, has been the driving force, with six wins, one draw…

Her name is not often heard in the noise created by the young bunch in Indian women’s chess. She remains near the spotlight, not directly under it. If Koneru Humpy is the pillar and Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali are the faces of the new generation, where is she? D Harika is very much there and the best-performing Indian woman in the Global Chess League (GCL) played in Mumbai at the moment. With two wins and three draws, she has helped the Upgrads Mumba Masters move up to second at the halfway stage of the competition. Triveni Continental Kings are…

About seven weeks ago in Goa, Leon Luke Mendonca stood crestfallen outside the playing hall at the FIDE World Cup. His father was by his side. His campaign was over following an unexpected first-round defeat. The player from Goa should be feeling better at the moment. The 19-year-old is giving a good account of himself at the Global Chess League (GCL) in Mumbai. Representing Alpine SG Pipers, Mendonca started with a draw, lost one, before posting two straight wins. The fourth-round triumph over world rapid champion Volodar Murzin ranks among the upsets of the event. He is the best-performing Indian…

One year is a long time. In December 2024, D Gukesh was the new world chess champion. Literally, it was a ‘leap year’ for him. He won the Candidates, excelled at the Olympiad and became the youngest to bag the biggest prize. As another December heads towards the third week, the reality is different. Gukesh experienced more downs than ups in 2025. He started on a good note, finishing second on tie-breaker at the Tata Steel Masters. After that, it was time to come face to face with the other side of a sportsperson’s life. A summary of Gukesh’s first…