The Indian chess players just pulled off a heist of epic proportions on the global stage with the double win at the Chess Olympiad.
And with the popularity of the sport at an all-time high in the country, how best can onlookers describe the moment?
“The stars have aligned,” says a beaming Sameer Pathak, the CEO of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, who is just as ecstatic as the rest of the country.
Speaking to The Bridge, he pointed to the success of the Chess Olympiad, the Global Chess League, and the upcoming World Chess Championship as seminal moments for the sport.
“These events mark an unprecedented time of growth and excitement for chess on a global scale.”
Pathak, who was in Budapest to witness India’s dominant performance at the Olympiad in both the open and women’s sections, feels this win augurs well for the country.
“The interesting part is even those who don’t usually follow chess have become curious, asking how big this win truly is,” he shares with excitement.
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A 1983 moment for Indian Chess
Pathak likens this victory in chess to India’s 1983 Cricket World Cup win, calling it a significant moment for sport in the country.
“I believe chess has truly arrived in India with this triumph. This is a significant moment and a red-letter day in Indian sporting history.”
For Pathak this is not just a victory but a signal for India’s growing influence in the chess circuit.
“We have been steadily climbing the charts of the chess world,” he reflects, noting the rise of Indian players like Gukesh, who is now competing at the highest levels.
With four Indian players in the top 10 of the men’s game in classical chess, Pathak sees a bright future ahead.
“We were sure of a medal. What surprised me was the dominance in a way they won,” he remarks.
Pathak believes that for long-term success in any sport, the base of the pyramid must be wide, and he attributes India’s growing success in chess to this broad foundation.
“We now have 84 Grandmasters, but that’s not all. There’s a huge pool of International Masters,” he observes.
He highlights how technology has created a level playing field for Indian players, allowing them to work with coaches from different countries and rely on chess engines to sharpen their skills.
The birth of the Global Chess League
Global Chess League (GCL), launched by Tech Mahindra in partnership with FIDE, has an interesting origin story tied to India’s winning the 2020 Online Olympiad.
Pathak recounts how Anand Mahindra’s interest in chess was sparked by that win, which eventually led to the creation of the league.
“He tweeted about his fascination with chess, and that tweet sparked a conversation. Soon, Samay Raina, a popular comedian and chess streamer, suggested launching a league,” Pathak explains.
That idea quickly gained momentum, with FIDE coming on board.
From there, the GCL was born, created to be chess’s answer to franchise leagues like the IPL in cricket.
According to Pathak, the GCL’s primary goal was to make chess more accessible to casual fans.
“A study by FIDE found that 600 million people globally have either played chess or know the game, but there was not enough chess content to keep them engaged. The league was created to bridge that gap by presenting chess in a more fan-friendly way,” he explains.
The innovations in the Global Chess League have been essential in making the format easy for casual viewers to understand, while also adding excitement to prevent matches from ending in draws.
“When you’re playing with white, you win three points for your team if you win the game. But if you win with black, you get four points,” Sameer explains.
This change motivates players to take more risks when playing with black, changing the usual way chess is played.
Global appeal and audience engagement
Sameer reflects on the excitement of the last Global Chess League edition, noting that the final match of the GCL drew over 1.3 million viewers on Eurosport.
“The final was tied, leading to blitz games, which felt like a penalty shootout in football. The excitement was evident,” he recalls.
Sameer notes how the excitement of GCL is easy to grasp, even for those who don’t understand the intricacies of chess.
“You will appreciate the excitement with simple points and the commentary around it,” he remarks.
Sameer also emphasizes the critical role of technology in making chess a popular, fun, and exciting sport for fans.
“Last year, we introduced a metaverse experience, which, if I recall correctly, attracted over 270,000 visitors,” Pathak said, calling it one of the largest metaverse sporting events to date.
He also acknowledges that artificial intelligence and machine learning have already made significant strides in chess.
“AI tools now help people analyze the opponent’s strategy and it helps you recommend games,” he remarks.
But what makes chess unique, according to Pathak, is how seamlessly it transitions between the physical and digital worlds, lending itself to great opportunities.
“Unlike football or tennis, where the digital version differs from the real game, chess is the same whether played online or on a board,” he says.
Way forward
Despite the success of the inaugural GCL, Pathak admits that there were challenges in launching the league.
“We had to convince team owners and players to approach chess more commercially, as a business,” he says.
The shift wasn’t easy, but it has paid off, and GCL has now set a new standard for professional chess.
One aspect of GCL that Pathak is particularly proud of is its gender-neutral format.
“It stands out as one of the only top-level sporting competitions in the world where men and women play together on the same team. It has been an amazing leveler,” he remarks.
Looking ahead, Pathak envisions expanding the league in future seasons.
“The vision is to make this into a league that everybody looks forward to each year by introducing online chess tournaments and learning formats, broadening the league’s footprint,” he concluded.