‘This is India’s time in the chess world’

New Delhi: It’s been an incredible year for Indian chess, and it may to get even better over the next fortnight.
The Indian open and women’s teams won their first-ever Olympiad gold medals, there are two Indian players ranked in the top five, and one of them — D Gukesh — is the favourite to win the World Championship match later this month.
India’s Olympiad glory has been in the making over the last decade. Two key players who made history in the campaign, Vidit Gujrathi and Harika Dronavalli, encapsulated the rise of Indian chess and discussed the ins and outs of what makes them and their compatriots click, at the 22nd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
Vidit, ranked 15 in the world, believes that the Olympiad double gold has transformed how Indian chess and its players are viewed by the world. “So many people — even on the streets of London — came up and asked me for a picture, which was surprising; it’s not something I was used to. It made me realise the significance of this Olympiad win and how much of a difference it has made,” he said in a session moderated by senior assistant editor Susan Ninan.
For Harika, 33, it’s been a particularly long wait. She and Koneru Humpy have been flag-bearers of Indian women’s chess for decades. Last year R Vaishali joined them as India’s third female Grandmaster.
“It took a long time for it (Olympiad gold) to fully sink in. It has been a dream come true, especially since this was my 10th Olympiad and my 20th year of playing at this level. For years, I dreamed of being on that podium and didn’t understand why it hadn’t happened before,” Harika said.
The Olympiad also revealed the strength of Indian women players such as Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal, who finished with individual board medals. “This is one of the best times for Indian women’s chess,” said Harika, “I haven’t seen the gap between top players close this quickly in years, which shows how strong women’s chess is in India right now. This growing competition makes everyone work harder and get stronger. For further progress, I think young girls should aim high — not just for titles like Woman Grandmaster but for even higher goals.”
Motherhood, Harika said, has allowed her to put professional goals, challenges and setbacks into perspective. “I was once like these young players now, playing one tournament after another, setting one goal after the next. Chess felt so stressful back then, with everything focused on winning medals, and jumping to the next tournament. But since becoming a mother, I’ve realised that there are more stressful things in life — like worrying about your toddler falling down. That put everything in perspective. Now, I truly value just having the opportunity to sit at the board and play. Competing in tournaments and playing for the country is still important, but it doesn’t feel as stressful.”
Much like chess fans everywhere, Harika is hoping the World Championship is competitive and engaging. Defending world champion Ding Liren’s form in recent years has been a concern. He will go up against a hungry Gukesh, who will be aiming to become the youngest ever world champion.
Vidit believes that Gukesh’s approach to chess is quite unique and touches upon a visible change he noticed in the 18-year-old at the recent Olympiad.
“I’ve known Gukesh for a long time. Back in 2017, during the World Cup, I even invited Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa to my home for a training camp. I remember them being so young — maybe 13 and 14. Gukesh’s approach to chess is quite unique. For his first 14 years or so, until he became a Grandmaster, he didn’t use chess engines at all. That approach gives him a different perspective, unaffected by the modern chess engines. His thinking remains very original, even though he’s adapted to the current ways of playing. In the past, during team championships, he tended to keep to himself, needing his own space. But at the Olympiad, I noticed a transformation. He was more outgoing, engaging, and enjoying himself.”
On the upcoming World Championship, Vidit said that while Ding is out of form and suffering from a confidence crisis, Gukesh’s latest tournament performance (at the European Club Cup) suggests that he might not be at his peak either right now.
“Ding was at his best in 2018-2019, playing at an exceptionally high level. If he can bring some of that level back, he could put up a good match. But confidence is critical. When you’re confident, you don’t hesitate or double-check everything; you play with instinct and can intimidate your opponent. If Ding can regain some of that form, it’ll be a competitive match,” Vidit, who turned 30 last month, said.
“Gukesh did struggle a bit in his last rapid tournament, losing around 10 rating points, which suggests he may not be at his absolute peak either… But he has this intense ‘game face’ and a fierce drive to win — a bit like Garry Kasparov. ”