'We have to change our mindset to grow. We've got to think about our lacunas, our shortcomings and we have to work on that all the time. In three years' time we will not need any government funding.'
Kazakh businessman Timur Turlov has been elected the new president of the world chess governing body FIDE, succeeding Arkady Dvorkovich. Turlov won a closely contested election against German entrepreneurs Wadim Rosenstein and Jan Henric Buettner, securing a four-year term. His victory comes amidst scrutiny over Russian influence and FIDE's financial independence, with Turlov campaigning on expanding digital reach and supporting smaller federations. He also addressed concerns about his ties to the outgoing administration and FIDE's commercial partner, Freedom Holding Corp.
The fourth season of the Global Chess League will feature Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen's return and Indian FIDE Women's World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh's debut.
FIDE's decision to shortlist the All India Chess Federation for a prestigious FIDE Excellence Award has ignited a fierce debate within the Indian chess community.
The FIDE elections will see three Indians, including chess legend Viswanathan Anand, vying for crucial leadership positions amidst a complex electoral landscape and a high-stakes three-way presidential battle.
A vital aspect of captaincy is not the title, but the confidence that a captain plant in the hearts of their teammates. And both, Gill and Iyer, do this very well, points out K R Nayar.
Former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand has been appointed Interim President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after incumbent Arkady Dvorkovich voluntarily stepped aside due to his inclusion in the European Union's sanctions list.
R Praggnanandhaa described his Norway Chess triumph as the biggest achievement of his career, emphasising that defeating some of the world's strongest players - including the great Magnus Carlsen - made the title particularly memorable.
'Today, even the greatest artistes are guided by monetary impulses. For Hrishida, relationships mattered the most.'
D Gukesh aims to recover at Norway Chess after a difficult start, while R Praggnanandhaa enjoys a strong position. Gukesh's performance against Praggnanandhaa in round five will be crucial for his title aspirations.
D Gukesh aims to rebound at Norway Chess after a challenging start, while R Praggnanandhaa enjoys a strong position. Gukesh's performance against Praggnanandhaa in round five will be crucial in determining his title contention.
Uzbek prodigy Javokhir Sindarov is gearing up for the World Chess Championship against Gukesh Dommaraju, focusing on preparing for Gukesh's strongest form rather than his recent tournament results. Sindarov, who won the Candidates Tournament and World Cup, believes the match will be an engrossing battle and is confident in his preparations, which have delivered a successful season.
At just 11 years old, Bodhana Sivanandan has become Great Britain's No 1 Women's Chess player dethroning four-time British Women's Champion Lan Yao.
Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi discusses D Gukesh's mental strength challenge for his World Championship defence against Javokhir Sindarov, highlighting Gukesh's recent inconsistent form. Vidit also assesses India's strong prospects for the upcoming Chess Olympiad, praising the form of players like Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi, and Sarin, while cautioning against overconfidence. He also reflects on his Arjuna Award and the need for better organisation in chess formats.
Seventeen Indian sportspersons, including World Cup winning chess player Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, and shuttler Gayatri Gopichand, have been named for the prestigious Arjuna Award for 2025.
D Gukesh's prolonged form slump might be a talking point in the chess world right now but his World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov sees no obvious weakness in the Indian's game.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faces a tough challenge at the Candidates Tournament, where he will compete against top players for the chance to challenge for the World Championship title.
During the felicitation ceremony honoring the gold-medal winning teams, she heard Hanvika's voice calling out from the audience. Harika stepped off the stage, hugged her daughter, and carried her to the back of the hall.
The Sports Ministry is set to commence the nomination process for the National Sports Awards next month, following a delayed announcement of the 2025 awards. The delay was due to a re-evaluation process aimed at preserving the integrity of the honours, which resulted in no Khel Ratna awardee for 2025 and fewer Arjuna awardees than recommended. The article also details the criteria for these prestigious awards and highlights some of the notable Arjuna awardees for 2025.
The likes of Arjun Erigaisi on the top board will be assisted by P Harikrishna on the second board.
Inspired by the iconic trophy lift of cricket captain Rohit Sharma during the 2024 T20I World Cup in June, the chess players replicated the gesture.
Hungary will officially host the 45th edition of the Olympiad for the first time, having hosted the second unofficial Chess Olympiad in 1926.
Teen prodigy Divya Deshmukh stunned seasoned grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a tense tiebreak to win the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup in Batumi, Georgia, rewriting Indian chess history at just 19.
R. Vaishali, the newly-crowned Candidates champion, exemplifies quiet intensity and strong values, nurtured by a supportive family, as she prepares for the World Championship showdown against Ju Wenjun.
India hosts the event from a position of unprecedented strength with a string of titles under its belt.
The FIDE World Cup for chess will be held between October 30 and November 27, 2025.
'I have no idea about such a medal. Never got one,' says Surya Shekhar Ganguly, the national chess champion between 2003 and 2008.
Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran has offered advice to World Champion D Gukesh ahead of his title defence against Javokhir Sindarov. Sasikiran highlights Gukesh's tendency for time trouble due to complex play and suggests improving technique, speed, and defensive accuracy. He also advises Gukesh to identify and exploit opponent weaknesses, while acknowledging Sindarov's strong preparation and reliance on memory and speed.
The All India Chess Federation announced a whopping Rs 3.2 crore in rewards for the historic 45th Olympiad-winning Indian teams during a felicitation ceremony in New Delhi on Wednesday.
'The Indian Open team was extremely well prepared and motivated to win the gold medal.' 'With two players in the world top 10 club, and four players with over 2,700 ELO points (GMs Arjun Erigaisi, D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, all below 20) and Vidit Gujrathi and P Harikrishna, it was a solid team.'
Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali remains in contention at the Women's Candidates Chess tournament after drawing with Zhongyi Tan, while Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan won the open section. Key final round matchups are set to determine the final standings.
The trophy was unveiled during a colourful opening ceremony which was attended by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and FIDE chief Arkady Dvorkovich.
Arjun Erigaisi's win over In-Jung Gu came after a stiff fight with the Korean having gained an advantage before slipping up.
Harmanpreet Singh, Smriti Mandhana, Divya Deshmukh among five Indian stars nominated for BBC awards
The image of a smiling D Gukesh standing with outstretched hands will forever be embossed in the memory of a nation of billions.
The sight of the Tricolour fluttering in the stands sharpens the resolve of the players. It feels as though the flag has been stitched out of the hopes and heartbeat of Indian fans.
Mumba Masters delivered a high-quality performance in front of the 'home' crowd, defeating the Viswanathan Anand-led Ganges Grandmasters
A Karnataka-based activist's threat to file a 'child labour' complaint against the Rajasthan Royals for fielding 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the IPL has ignited a debate on nurturing young talent versus perceived exploitation, drawing widespread disbelief and criticism.
The Indian chess team spanked Brazil 3.5-0.5 in the final round to end the World Team Chess Championship with a bronze medal in Bursa, Turkey.
Indian men and women opened their campaign in the chess team event at the Asian Games with easy wins over Mongolia and Philippines respectively, in Hangzhou on Friday.
