CHENNAI: At a time the whole country is under lockdown, chess is one of the few sports that can be played online. Many players keep in touch with their counterparts over the internet. They share games, views and ideas. Chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa is one of the players using the online platform to beat boredom and keep in touch with the game. Chessbase India organised the First Saturday Online blitz 3+0 tournament on March 21 which Praggu won.
The next leg of the tournament will be held on March 28. “I won the first blitz online tournament organised by Chessbase India. About 191 players took part in the tournament. The organisers are conducting five tournaments. The player who scores more points will win the overall title. I won the first tournament and I got 10 Grand Prix points. I will be also be playing the next four tournaments,’’ Praggu told this daily.
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In times of lockdown, having a sister who can play chess is a blessing in disguise. “During these times (curfew) having a sister like Vaishali who can play chess is a boon. I play with my sister regularly every day. This keeps me occupied,’’ said the fourth-youngest GM. The 14-year old practices regularly and allots time for studies too. This routine has helped him utilise his time despite being confined to his house. “Normally I play and learn chess or read (online) about the game for about five to six hours. I spend quality time on my studies too. So this routine has kept me going,’’ revealed the youngster.
Has the lockdown made miss his coaching classes? “Chess is one sport that can be played and followed from anywhere in the world. I undergo online chess class with our coach RB Ramesh at Chess Gurukul. During this lockdown period, it is preferable to have online classes. I also followed the Candidates tournament till it was stopped,’’ revealed Praggu.
Praggu plays with his sister, chats with his parents and watches movies to unwind. “To relax, I watch movies. There is no favourite here as such I watch all movies. But I relish watching actor Vadivelu comedy,’’ said the shy youngster. Ramesh Babu, Praggu’s father, is happy that his children are chess players.
“During these difficult times, it is difficult to keep the children engaged. With no school and instructions to not let them out of the house, I find that many parents are struggling to keep their children engaged. I have no such problem as both of them are glued to chess,’’ he said.