Latest news with #31stAbuDhabiInternationalChessFestival
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Parents' sleepless nights, coding, and chess: How India got its 89th GM in Rohith Krishna S
India gets its 89th GM in Rohith Krishna S (Photo Credits: Dubai Chess & Culture Club) NEW DELHI: The time on the clock had slipped well past midnight. In a quiet Chennai apartment, a lone pool of light from a laptop screen cut through the darkness. A mother sat upright, eyes fixed on the glowing squares of an online chessboard, tracking her teenage son's tense battle thousands of kilometres away in another time zone. That son is Rohith Krishna S, the 19-year-old who, earlier this week, sealed his place in history as India's 89th Grandmaster, winning his final Grandmaster (GM) norm at the Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup with an unbeaten 6/9 score on Tuesday. 'I had to sacrifice a lot… There were times when he was playing tournaments on the opposite side of the world… the time zones didn't match at all, so I spent many sleepless nights watching his games,' says Rohith's mother, Vidhya, who is a veterinarian by profession and mother of two. 'We also couldn't go on any vacations due to him constantly travelling abroad for tournaments.' Exclusive | How India's World Junior Chess Champion Pranav Earned Wildcard to Grand Swiss 2025 Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Rohith's reaction to the feat, however, remains modest. 'When I finished the last game and realised I had done it, I felt really happy,' Rohith tells from Abu Dhabi, where he is participating in the 31st Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival. 'It had been a long journey, and I knew it was just a matter of time before I became a GM. But I never thought about it during my games; I just focused on playing well.' The call that had everyone waiting Neither of his parents was present at the venue when their son attained his final GM norm. 'Rohith called his mother,' his father, Sudhahar, recalls with a smile. 'So, she called me and informed me that Rohith had finally achieved the norm and completed the formalities.' The joy was mixed with relief. 'Yeah, I was very happy and relaxed,' says his mother. 'Relaxed means very peaceful… I felt very, very complete. I don't know how to express my feelings. I was very happy.' Mokshitha, sister, Vidhya, mother, Rohith, and his father Sudhahar, from left to right (Special Arrangements) Rohith had known this was coming. 'After my second norm in Dubai, I was confident. I didn't feel too much pressure for the last one. In the final round, I knew a draw was enough, but I played aggressively and won,' he says. A journey that began with a grandmother's game At the age of eight, the family enrolled Rohith in extracurricular activities at SIP Academy. Chess was one of the options. 'We said, you can choose any two so you can spend your time with your friend. So, he went to the drawing class, and he went to the chess class too. He preferred chess,' his father recalls. There was also a deeper family link: his maternal grandmother and his mother, who had once been a university champion. 'I first learnt chess from my grandmother and my cousin,' says Rohith, who is currently coached by one of Chennai's finest chess minds, FM Visweswaran Kameswaran. 'I used to play chess on the Windows 7 computer. At first, I just wanted to beat the computer; that was my initial motivation.' Holidays traded for tournaments While other families planned vacations, the Krishnas were booking tickets to far-off cities: Belgrade, Dubai, Tashkent, Almaty. 'He has to travel for a lot of tournaments. So, basically, we will not have family holidays most of the time. Leaving the boy alone and going for holidays doesn't help us. And when he is going for any tournament, we cannot plan it as a holiday too,' Sudhahar says. From 2019 onwards, international travel became constant. 'One of us had to travel with him, especially abroad. I had to take some holidays… We have to plan all his logistics, like travel, coach, accommodation, visa. All these things.' Since turning 18, though, Rohith has started travelling solo to tournaments across the world. His parents still handle the behind-the-scenes work, from booking stays and arranging transport to ensuring his safety. The cost of chasing a dream Initially, the family bore most of the expenses for domestic events, foreign trips, and even the coach's travel. 'One trip to Europe will definitely cost you more,' his father says. They reinvested every prize cheque back into tournaments. 'For example, in 2023, he won a few tournaments. The prize money also, we used for the entire year,' says Sudhahar, who is a consultant for a German footwear brand. Poll Should parents invest in their children's sports careers? Definitely Only if the child is interested Not necessarily No, it's not worth it The turning point came when he was selected for Tamil Nadu's MIMS (Mission International Medals Scheme), which provided financial assistance for international tournaments. 'It helped us a lot to relieve the burden. Otherwise, we wouldn't have played so many tournaments,' his father says. Managing studies and chess The family offered him the option to take a break after Class 12 to focus entirely on chess. 'But it was his choice,' Sudhahar continues. 'He actually felt the pressure after joining college… But he is managing it so well that he has now got all the GM norms.' Rohith, who is currently pursuing Computer Science at Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering in Tamil Nadu, admits that balancing engineering and chess hasn't been easy. 'Sometimes I have to miss college for tournaments, and sometimes I have to miss tournaments for exams. But I love both: chess and coding. They're both about problem-solving.' A proud present, a hopeful future Now that the GM title is his, the family is dreaming bigger. 'See, when, as a young boy, he had a dream to be a Super GM… He also wanted to go for higher studies. He believes he is also underrated… If everything goes well, he can achieve his dream,' says Sudhahar. Rohith is already looking ahead. 'My next goal is to reach a 2600 rating, and my long-term plan is to become world champion,' he says. ALSO READ: Watching Magnus Carlsen at 2: How 5-year-old Aarini Lahoty became India's No. 1 among youngest chess talents On paper, the title reads: Grandmaster Rohith Krishna S, India's 89th. But between the lines is another title — one shared by his parents, who have been champions in their own right, fighting every logistical, financial, and emotional battle so that their son could stand where he does today. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Under the patronage of Nahyan bin Zayed, 31st Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival to take place from August 15-24
14 Aug 2025 10:16 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the 31st Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival will take place from August 15-24, by the Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the event will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi Corniche, with total prizes amounting to Dh 500, year's festival will have the largest number of participants in its history, with more than 3,000 players representing 82 countries – an increase of more than 500 participants compared to the previous edition – placing it among the world's leading chess festivals, surpassing many prestigious international festival will feature 27 tournaments covering various age groups and skill levels, led by the Masters Tournament, along with three new mind sports competitions: checkers, dominoes, and Chess960 (Fischer Random Chess) – a step that reflects the diversity and appeal of the activities to a broader audience of mind games Abdullah Al Khouri, Chairman of the Organising Committee, emphasised that the festival has become one of the most important events on the global chess calendar, attracting top-tier players from around the world. He stressed that this sustained success over more than three decades reflects the wise vision and continuous support of the UAE Khouri said: 'We are proud that the Abu Dhabi festival is a global platform that brings together chess champions from all continents, and we see it as an opportunity to enhance the UAE's reputation as a leading hub for sports and cultural events.'He also praised the support of Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the sponsorship of strategic partners, led by e& Group, Nirvana Holding, the Italian International School, Mohammed Rasool Khoory & Sons, Radisson Blu Hotel, and St. Regis Hotel, valuing their contributions to the success of the on the competition, Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary General of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, highlighted that the continuous organisation of the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival for over three decades reaffirms its status as one of the world's most prominent chess and mind sports Awani said: 'The strong turnout of elite international players and participants from all over the world reflects the trust and prestige the festival enjoys, reinforcing Abu Dhabi's role as a key destination on the global sports map." He added: "This success is the result of the unlimited support of our wise leadership and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which have enabled the festival to grow into an exceptional platform for discovering talent, honing the skills of local players, and promoting cultural and sporting exchange among nations."'I am also pleased to take this opportunity to commend the great efforts of the Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club in developing the game of chess through a range of plans, programmes, courses, and hosting initiatives which have fulfilled the club's founding mission.'At the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, we reaffirm our support for this major annual event on Abu Dhabi's sports calendar. We are proud of its global significance and its appeal to international players from across the globe, and we wish everyone success.'Faisal Ahmed Al Shihi, Festival Director, confirmed that the 31st edition of the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival continues to shine by achieving record participation numbers, with more than 3,000 players from 82 countries already confirmed. The fact that the festival has been running for 31 consecutive years is a clear testament to its success and distinction as one of the world's top chess fans can look forward to the participation of the UAE's top players, led by Imran Al Hosani – West Asia Youth Champion, Arab Youth Champion, and UAE Men's Champion –and Roza Issa Al Serkal, alongside an elite lineup of world champions in various age categories, headed by Masters Tournament top seed Sanan Sjugirov and second seed Arkadij Naiditsch. Also representing the UAE in different age categories are national champion Ammar Al Sderani, Arab Girls Champion Ahlam Rashid, Abdulrahman Al Taher, and Hamad Al matches will be broadcast live on the websites of the International, Asian, and Arab Chess Federations, allowing fans worldwide to follow the action moment by panel of international arbiters is chaired by Saeed Ahmed Al Khouri, with the participation of arbiters from the UAE, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Romania, and the Philippines. The festival also serves as a cultural and tourism showcase for Abu Dhabi, offering participating delegations the opportunity to explore the UAE capital's landmarks and cultural heritage through accompanying tourism programmes, further enhancing its status as a global destination for both sport and tourism. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
