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Time of India
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Rs 50,000 a month and countless sacrifices: How India's chess future shapes up in Chennai hut
GM Shyam's chess academy Pranav V and Srihari LR GM Shyam's chess academy Pranav V and Srihari LR GM Shyam's chess academy 1 2 NEW DELHI: "My father used to say that if wealth is lost, nothing is lost; if health is lost, something is lost; but if character is lost, everything is lost. So, I also want my students to be as genuine as possible," a proud coach in GM Shyam Sundar M recalls, just days after his 19-year-old protégé Srihari LR became India's 86th grandmaster by attaining his third GM norm at the Asian Individual Chess Championship in Al-Ain, UAE. Over the last few months, GM Shyam and his students have been making waves for all their over-the-board heroics. From Pranav V emerging as the FIDE Junior World Champion to Srihari becoming India's latest grandmaster and the elated coach claiming "there will be few more GMs in the coming months with God's grace", Shyam Sundar's Chennai-based academy, Chess Thulir , appears on a mission to produce a batch of elite prodigies. 'I've been coaching informally for nearly a decade now, but I felt it needed a name, and that's how Chess Thulir was born. 'Thulir' means blossom in Tamil, like how a flower blossoms,' Shyam tells from Sharjah. 'It started online during COVID-19 and gradually became a full-fledged offline academy.' Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Queensland: Slash Your Power Bills With a Battery Australian Solar Batteries Get Quote Undo Shyam's transition from player to coach wasn't sudden. 'Back in the 2018 Batumi Olympiad, I was already helping the Indian team. Even before that, I mentored many who couldn't afford professional guidance,' recalls the 32-year-old chess maestro. 'During 2016-2018, I realised financial constraints and lack of support held back many, and that's why even I couldn't become an elite-level grandmaster. That's when I felt the need for a proper academy where players could train professionally." A day at the academy The uniqueness of Shyam Sundar's coaching lies in its structured yet fluid approach, covering all aspects: opening theory, practical psychology, and even game-day opponent assessments. Sessions often begin at 10 a.m. and stretch to 5 p.m., including rigorous game analysis and situational problem-solving, with a one to one-and-a-half-hour break in between. Post-lunch, the team often heads outdoors, playing cricket or badminton: a routine that has built some commendable camaraderie within the group. 'Everyone's equal on the turf. Ratings don't matter there. We laugh, compete, and bond. That's a huge part of the academy's soul,' the coach adds. Most players training under Shyam are already above 2300 Elo, including several International Masters and Grandmasters. Camps are typically conducted once or twice a month. During camps, however, Shyam becomes a bit strict: "I usually conduct camps for specific rating brackets. Like, if I'm doing it for 2400+ players, I rarely include someone slightly below that, only if they show strong potential. Even if the camp isn't financially rewarding, I prioritise maintaining that high standard." More than a mentor Shyam's emotional investment in his students goes beyond the 64 squares as he adds, 'I consider most of my students like my own kids. That helps them open up, not just about chess, but about life too.' 'I want them to play active, dynamic chess. No playing for draws. I lead by example. Like, even when I play them, I push aggressively. They must see me practice what I preach.' However, the Gen-Z mindset, he admits, can get 'tricky'. 'With so much material online, they can get lost. My job is to channel that curiosity in the right direction, keep it structured and focused. Even after the camp ends, I continue mentoring them, tracking what they're studying daily, what kind of chess content they're consuming,' Shyam explains. "I'm really glad there's no unhealthy competition in my academy. The players are more like friends. They freely share opening files and knowledge without hesitation." Challenges in running an academy But nurturing champions doesn't come cheap. 'Running an academy is extremely stressful,' Shyam confesses. 'In Chennai, I spend around Rs 50,000 a month just for the basics, like rent, electricity, Wi-Fi. And if I'm travelling for 30-40 days with a player, the academy earns nothing during that period. It's a heavy toll. Sometimes, I feel like giving up.' There's also the growing pressure of expectations, with parents often demanding GM-only coaches for their kids, and trainers, tempted by better offers, slipping away. 'Sometimes I feel like downsizing, moving fully online, or just doing commentary or writing articles that would be far easier and financially rewarding.' A key factor in the academy's sustainable success, however, is Tamil Nadu's chess-friendly ecosystem. Many schools in Chennai offer academic leniency, granting extra holidays and understanding players' commitments, while also providing financial support to prodigies. "When Gukesh won the World Championship, he was gifted a car by his school," shares Shyam, who takes solace in his students' achievements despite the personal sacrifice of spending less time with his family. 'I miss time with my family, my daughter's four now, and I don't get to see her much. But I keep telling myself: to gain something, something must be given.' ALSO READ: RCB fan who became a world champion: The story of chess prodigy Pranav V | Exclusive What the future holds ... With his students achieving milestone after milestone, Shyam remains grounded in his method: 'In today's AI-driven world, we're flooded with computer-generated ideas and influenced by social media. Like they say, even a genius mind can make elementary mistakes. I try to convey the human way of thinking.' Bombay Sport Exchange Ep 5: Shane Watson on how IPL gave him a lifeline & his tribute to Phil Hughes With a focus on creating more GMs, the coach signs off with humility and hope: 'My motto is simple: Be good. Do good. God will take care of the rest. These past few years have been tough, but maybe that's just God preparing me for something bigger. And if that 'something' means helping these kids become champions, in chess and in life, then it's all worth it.'
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Nihal Sarin bounces back as Indian stars shine at Asian Chess Championship
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin bounced back with a victory against Russia's Nikita Matinian in the second round of the Asian Individual Chess Championship in Al Ain, UAE on Thursday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The tournament, carrying a prize fund of USD 80,000, serves as part of the World Championship cycle with top players qualifying for the World Chess Cup later this year. Fourth-seeded Murali Karthikeyan secured his second consecutive win by defeating Lou Yipping of Philippines. However, Grandmaster S L Narayanan faced a setback, losing to Uzbekistan's Atakhan Albin. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The day proved challenging for higher-seeded players in the premier Asian championship, with many facing tough competition. India's young chess players performed well overall. Abhijeet Gupta registered his first tournament victory by defeating fellow Indian K Senthil Maren. In the women's section, Vantika Agrawal continued her strong form from the opening round, defeating Assel Serikbay to achieve the maximum score of two points. Quiz: Key results in the open section included A R Ilamparthi's victory over Amin Tabatabaei, while Grigory Fedorov lost to Prraneeth Vuppala. Aditya Mittal defeated Bai Adelard, and Siddharth Jagadeesh won against Rashid Husain Alhammadi. Mayank Chakraborty secured a win over Abuazizah Raji, and V Pranav emerged victorious against Sakline Mostafa Sajid. Explained: Why Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket In women's competition, Valentina Gunina defeated Yana Zhapova, while Liya Kurmangaliyeva drew with Song Yuxin. Zarina Nurgaliyeva won against Mungutntuul Batkhuyag. Meruert Kamalidenova defeated Potapova Margarita, and Afruza Khamdamova won against Sakshi Chitlange. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Indian players Rakshitta Ravi and Priyanka Nutakki secured victories over Arshiya Das and Rouda Essa Alserkal respectively. The tournament continues to serve as a crucial qualifying event for the upcoming World Chess Cup, attracting top players from across Asia.
Gulf Today
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
UAE's Serkal becomes Gulf's 1st eve grandmaster
The UAE Chess Federation announced that Rouda Al Serkal, a player on the national team and the Abu Dhabi Chess Club & Mind Games, has been awarded the title of "Women Grandmaster" by the International Chess Federation. Al Serkal received the title after winning the Arab Women's Championship held at the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club last November, making her the first Emirati and Gulf player to achieve this prestigious recognition. Kholood Al Zarouni, Chair of the Federation's Women's Committee, thanked the Ministry of Sports, the National Olympic Committee, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club, emphasizing that this achievement is the result of cooperation among all sports entities with the Federation. She praised the significant role played by the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club in developing players of both genders. Al Zarouni emphasized that this achievement represents a significant morale boost for women's chess, opens the door to further international titles, and motivates young players to continue training and participating. She noted that Rouda is a model of the ideal player who has achieved numerous titles and always aims for greater goals. Al Serkal confirmed that receiving the title of "Women Grandmaster" from the International Chess Federation represents strong motivation for the UAE to achieve global recognition in chess. The 16-year-old Al Serkal said she looks forward to competing for titles during her upcoming participation in the Asian Individual Chess Championship at the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club, to be held from May 6 to 15, and the World Youth and Women's Championships in July 2025, and to ensure the country's strong presence in international forums. She noted that Emirati women have reached the highest international levels in sports and other competitive fields, thanks to the support and attention of the wise leadership and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, "Mother of the Emirates," Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation. Serkal acknowledged the tangible role of the UAE Chess Federation in organizing tournaments and supporting the ambitions of players, as well as the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club in developing the capabilities of all its members through advanced programs, attracting the best coaches, and providing optimal conditions for players to participate in competitions. She praised her family's support in helping her participate in training and tournaments, and commended her primary school "AlMawaheb" and its officials for their efforts in supporting and advancing her talent. Some of Rouda's achievements: At the age of five, Roudha won the Asian Championship Under-6, which has earned her a status as a rising national star. As she grew older, her accomplishments only multiplied - she won the Under-20 UAE Championship at eight, the World Cadets Championship Under-8 in 2017, the World Schools Under-9 in 2018, he bronze medal in the Asian Youth Under 14 category, the Jeddah Open Tournament and Arab Women Champion multiple times. She has also been crowned the World Champion in the Solving Puzzles Category C and the West Asian Champion, among numerous other titles. Chess is one of the fastest growing sports in the UAE. Many FIDE sanctioned tournaments are held in the UAE every year. A lot of youngsters are taking up chess professional sports in the country. Of late, UAE has become a hub of the sports with world class events like T20 Cricket World Cup, Asia Cup, IPL and MME fights taking place in the country along with FIFA World Cup and Cricket World Cup qualifiers taking place almost round the year. Recently, ICC champions Trophy was held in the UAE when India refused to travel to Pakistan due to the political tension between the two countries.
Al Etihad
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Rouda Alserkal makes history as first Emirati Woman Grandmaster in chess
31 Mar 2025 23:04 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)For long, the UAE has had one flag-bearer in chess. But now, it has two. Joining Salem AR Saleh in the Grandmaster (GM) category is Rouda Alserkal, who has become the first Woman Grandmaster (WGM) of the UAE and the Gulf region at prodigious talent has represented the national team across age categories as well as at the Abu Dhabi Chess Club & Mind Games. Although she achieved the title after winning the Arab Women's Championship – held in November at the Sharjah Chess and Cultural Club - the world governing body FIDE issued the certificate certificate, seen by Aletihad, is signed by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and says: "FIDE is pleased to confirm herewith that Rouda Essa Alserkal (ID: 9314318) of the United Arab Emirates has obtained the title of Woman Grandmaster in the year 2025."With this, the UAE has its second GM after Saleh, who incidentally achieved his GM status in 2009, the year Alserkal was born."Winning the Grandmaster norm feels amazing," Rouda said."I was so happy and honestly a bit relieved because all the hard work and training finally paid off, it was one of those moments where it takes a little while to sink in, and I just sat there thinking about how far I'd come."Personally, it felt like a huge achievement, that all the effort was worth it. For women's chess in the UAE, it meant a lot too, I hope it shows other girls that they can reach for big goals in chess. It's all about believing in yourself and working hard," she is now looking forward to competing in the Asian Individual Chess Championship in Abu Dhabi from May 6 to 15. She said that receiving the WGM title is a strong motivation for the UAE to achieve global recognition in expressed gratitude to Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).On behalf of the UAE Chess Federation, the chairperson of the women's committee, Kholood Al Zarouni, thanked the sports ministry, the National Olympic Committee, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club for their cooperation in developing the sport and players across emphasised that this achievement is a boost for women's chess and opens the door to more international titles, while motivating young players to continue training and participating in the Highlights· Won the 2014 Asian Championship Under-6 title· Won U20 title at the UAE Championship at the age of eight· 2017 World Cadets Championship in U8· World Schools U9 crown in 2018· Bronze medal in the 2023 Asian Youth U-14 category · Arab Women's Champion (multiple times)
Gulf Insider
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
15-Year-Old Rouda Al Serkal Makes History As First Emirati Woman Grandmaster In Chess
Rouda Al Serkal created history recently by becoming the first Emirati woman grandmaster. The 15-year-old received the prestigious title from the International Chess Federation after she won the Arab Women's Championship held at the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club. 'Winning the grandmaster title feels amazing,' Rouda said. 'I was so happy and honestly a bit relieved because all the hard work and training finally paid off, it was one of those moments where it takes a little while to sink in, and I just sat there thinking about how far I'd come. 'Personally, it felt like a huge achievement, that all the effort was worth it, for women's chess in the UAE, it meant a lot too, I hope it shows other girls that they can reach for big goals in chess too, It's all about believing in yourself and working hard,' she added. Rouda now is looking forward to compete in the Asian Individual Chess Championship at the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club from May 6 to 15, and the World Youth and Women's Championships in July 2025. 'My goal is to keep improving and eventually earn my grandmaster title, I want to keep challenging myself in top tournaments with the elite chess players, and winning more world championships is definitely something I'm working towards, but right now I'm focused on growing as a player and seeing how far I can go in chess,' she said. Rouda started her chess career at an early age. At just five she won the Asian Championship Under-6 category. In the next few years, her mercurial rise saw her win more accomplishments, including the U-20 UAE Championship, the World Cadets Championship Under-8 in 2017, the World Schools Under-9 in 2018, bronze medal in the Asian Youth Under 14 category, the Jeddah Open Tournament and Arab Women Champion multiple times. She was also been crowned the World Champion in the Solving Puzzles Category C and the West Asian Champion. 'When I was four years old, we had a chessboard at home, and I would play all the time with my family, every day, I would ask my mom to sign me up for a chess club, but when we finally went, it was unfortunate that they couldn't accept me because I was too young. However, my first coach Hisham Al Argha gave me a chance to play with him, and when he saw that I could already move the knight, a piece that many kids take weeks to learn, he was immediately impressed, and he accepted me into the club, and from that moment, my chess journey began. 'I think my passion for chess really clicked during my first tournament. I just enjoyed the challenge and the process of figuring things out over the board, winning was a great feeling, but more than that, I liked how every game was different and how much there was to learn, that's when I knew I wanted to keep going and see how far I could improve,' Rouda said while thanking the UAE Chess Federation for organising tournaments and supporting the ambitions of players, as well as the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club in developing the capabilities of all its members through advanced programmes. Significant role Kholood Al Zarouni, chair of the Federation's Women's Committee, thanked the Ministry of Sports, the National Olympic Committee, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club, emphasising that this achievement is the result of cooperation among all sports entities with the federation. She praised the significant role played by the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club in developing players of both genders. Al Zarouni emphasised that the achievement represents a significant morale boost for women's chess, opens the door to further international titles, and motivates young players to continue training and participating. She noted that Rouda is a model of the ideal player who has achieved numerous titles and always aims for greater goals.
