- August 13, 2025
Chess? You’ve Come To The Right Place: The Unofficial International Chess Capital Called Chennai
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While India cherishes chess, no other city nurtures the game quite like Chennai does, thanks to its idols, investment and deeper socio-cultural penchant for the puzzling adventure.
(From left) R Vaishali, R Praggnandhaa and D Gukesh. (PTI Photo)
The game of chess has altered the hierarchy of consumption of sport in the nation over the past couple of years, usurping the status quo in the sprawling peninsular nation of India.
While cricket remains the top-billed outdoor activity, the chess revolution that has taken the nation by storm, aided by the prolonged isolation period during the global pandemic, which propelled the populace further towards the puzzling 64-squared fascination.
The seeds, however, were sown aeons before the quarantine period as iconic names, including the legendary Vishy Anand and Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi, helped hoist the tricolour on global corridors with their unprecedented successes at international forums.
The penchant for challenging the mind in ways that only a sport like chess can satiate found a home across the country, spanning various demographics in the famously diverse territory.
But no city embodies the passion for the game in the nation quite like Chennai does. The entire nation cherishes the ancient game with roots firmly in the resourceful land, but ‘Madras’, as it was formerly known, nurtured it to a point where one wouldn’t be remiss with a statement claiming the Capital City of the southern state of Tamil Nadu to be the cradle of chess.
“If you play chess, you’re going to inevitably visit Chennai,” said Challengers hopeful Abhimanyu Puranik, who hails from the opposing coastline city of Mumbai.
Idols And Investment
The rich culture and tradition of the sport is a result of various facets that make the city an absolute hotbed for budding talent. The essence of inspiration cannot be overstated across spheres, but especially so in the game of chess.
The privilege to have idols to look up to at any point of one’s journey is a liberty not afforded to all, but Chennai’s heritage addressed the necessity and more with the success of the city’s very own Vishy Anand, who made the entire country, nay, the entire world, take notice. The five-time World Champion’s feats served as a beacon around which like-minded aficionados gathered to enrich themselves in the ways of the board.
Vishy’s accolades have resonated through the tunnels of time and have served as a yardstick for the exponential number of talents stemming from the city and the wider nation, to aspire and emulate.
The booming chess culture in the city, steeped in tradition, can be attributed to a multitude of reasons, including the availability of idols to follow, the robust and active nature of the state’s governing body and the involvement of industries with the ability to invest in the game.
Tamil Nadu’s chess body has been an enthusiastic participant in the proliferation of the sport, with the capital city also harbouring the old All India Chess Federation (AICF) head office.
The involvement of industries that invest in chess has played a pivotal role in the development of the game. The inclination of renowned brands such as Sakthi Group and Ramco in the game translated into private sponsorships that resulted in the mushrooming of the game.
The slant for the game in the region paved the way for the establishment of a swathe of academies that specialised in imparting the knowledge and love for the sport.
Old Habits…
A convention widely believed to be prevalent in the nation alludes to the emphasis laid on academic qualification and the significance attached to the intellect in the southern territories of the country, as compared to its neighbours up north, who have been evidenced to develop an acumen to rely on owning and running businesses.
The celebration of the studious further feeds into the motif of astute individuals equipped to segue into the game of wits.
Educational institutions’ inclination towards robust activity plays a crucial role as scholarship programs support prodigious talent in a land where academics reign supreme.
Charms of a Chess-loving City
Despite having produced stars that have scaled the zenith of the sport, the determination of the subjects of the historic land to enshrine a doctrine that enables the mastery of the art is another crucial facet in kids taking to the game.
And the charms of the city that has the craving to churn out top-tier talent on a perennial basis in an effort to address the predicament of an ephemeral and evanescent success, are not lost on the overseas contingent who share the passion of the city for the game.
“It is my second time here,” said Masters contestant Jorden Van Foreest.
Foreest, a Dutchman born in the city of Utrecht, but moved to the quaint city of Groningen at a young age, took notice of the impact the city, which has produced some incredible names, including the youngest World Champion D Gukesh and the wunderkind siblings, Praggnandhaa and Vaishali, has had on the wider world of chess.
“I haven’t had the time to look around the city, and I hope I get to do that, but from a chess point of view, truly a special city,” the 26-year-old from the Netherlands said.
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