CHENNAI: India's new-found importance in the world chess map is set to continue. The ongoing World Cup in Goa may not be the end of the FIDE cycle of events in India. Nitin Narang, the All India Chess Federation (AICF) head, has raised the possibility of more events coming to these shores in the years ahead — a thought echoed by FIDE head, Arkady Dvorkovich earlier this year. In an interview with this daily, Narang spoke about the significance of hosting the World Cup and why Goa emerged as the ideal candidate. Excerpts:
On the significance of the tournament and whether it would have happened without D Gukesh becoming world champion
It’s a huge honour to have this event back in India after 23 years. We have come a long way since it was last held here. Back then, we barely had less than 10 Grandmasters but today, we have 90. This growth really shows how far Indian chess has come. Also now with D Gukesh as the reigning world champion and India winning both the Open and Women’s Olympiads last year, there couldn’t be a better time to bring the World Cup event home. The idea to bring top chess events back to India was already in progress, but Gukesh’s World Championship win has made it even more special. It’s the perfect time, and we’re committed to giving players only the best-ever experience here.
On why Goa was preferred over places like Chennai or New Delhi
Chennai has always been the heart of Indian chess and Delhi has its own legacy of hosting big sporting events. But our vision is to take chess beyond its traditional centres and make it truly national. Goa felt like the perfect choice for that. Lately we have seen a lot of chess interest from Goa and there are a number of upcoming players who are performing well nationally. The state government also showed great enthusiasm and support from the very beginning and Goa itself has been emerging as a sporting destination in recent years. Plus, given how intense chess tournaments can be, Goa offers a wonderful environment for players to relax and recharge.
On whether AICF/India will show interest in bidding for next year's Candidates or World Championship
AICF’s vision is to make India the global hub of chess. Naturally, that means we’d love to bring the biggest events — the Candidates and the World Championship — to India. Organising tournaments of this scale requires extensive planning and financial support. It also involves close coordination with international bodies and stakeholders to ensure the highest standards of competition and hospitality. If the right conditions and partnerships come together, we’d be more than happy to host them, especially now that we have an Indian world champion and a strong possibility of another Indian challenger. It would be a truly special moment for Indian chess.
On the possibility of more top-class invitational tournaments in India as right now, players still have to travel elsewhere to feature in super tournaments
Yes, we’re already in the process of creating more elite tournaments in India. The success of the Chennai Grand Masters showed what’s possible and how impactful such events can be. It played a key role in Gukesh’s journey to the Candidates and proved how much local events can boost our players. We want to build on that success and create more top-class opportunities right here at home. Having more such events in India will only open the platform to creating more talented Grandmasters.
Top event in Hyderabad from next year
An elite level Rapid and Blitz tournament will be added to the calendar from next year. The first edition of tournament is likely to be played in February 2026.
Select results (Rd 3, game 1): D Gukesh drew with F Swane, Arjun Erigaisi bt Shamsiddin Vokhidov, R Praggnanandhaa drew with Robert Hovhannisyan, Anish Giri drew with Alexander Donchenko, Jose Martinez bt Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Richard Rapport drew with Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, Levon Aronian bt Saleh Salem.
