Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
Shatranj ke khiladi...
|
A glamorous battle of wits being waged at a city indoor stadium is a huge draw, says V.V.Subrahmanyam.
|
IT IS a venue choked in moods. A confident player walking across to the other table to take a look on the board. A cornered opponent scratching his head in disbelief and hoping for improvement of position on the board.
Confused looks of even a winner like S.P.Sethuraman of Korattur Chess Academy (Chennai) after demolishing the challenge of IM Saptharushi Roy in a second round game may aptly describe the contrasting moods of the contenders and those who slip into the crowded Chenupati Ramakotaiah Indoor Stadium, venue of the on-going 42nd National 'B' chess championship in Vijayawada.
It is a different world where players are the monarchs of the kingdoms for they are engaged in a battle for supremacy of the 64-squares. A world which is of their own and where seldom an intruder is entertained. This is a sport which propelled Vijayawada on to the world map of sports as some of the child prodigies like Koneru Humpy, Pentyala Harikrishna and now Dronavalli Harika of Guntur made a mark for themselves at the highest level.
With many national players - past and contemporary - taking up the task of coaching enthusiastic youngsters more as a profession and for survival, the Krishna-Guntur belt has understandably turned an assembly line of chess talent for the whole country.
To be more apt, the stunning feats of Harikrishna or Humpy are just enough to spur the parents to coax even unwilling kids to take up the sport and be something. Mind you, they are not afraid of spending big money or time to see their kids make their presence felt on the chess horizon. For the simple reason, there are about 400 players in the fray. Some of them representing the cream of Indian chess including India's first Woman Grandmaster Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi, former British Open champion R.B.Ramesh and Andhra's own Lanka Ravi, for whom playing in Vijayawada is almost like the `Return of the Native', to name some of the players are engrossed in mind-boggling duels to book the 12 berths for the prestigious National `A' championship. Perhaps, more fittingly Vijayawada has been chosen as the venue for what the players themselves rate as the most demanding national championship, an event that tests the organisational skills too. The sight of kids rushing to the arbiters' table to point to the faulty clocks, virtually pleading them to arbitrate in case of a dispute on the board, is something which is alien to the chess world.
Despite the odd bouts of animosity when something goes wrong on the board, the wonderful sense of understanding is what separates the sport from the rest. The regular analysis - be it in defeat or victory - by players of all hue and cry is something not seen in any other sport. It was a pleasant surprise to see National junior champion N.Vinuthna come down to the city with her parents to feel the experience. "I would have loved to be here but my exam schedule denied me the chance,'' she says. No wonder, when Vijayawada's most popular chess player - Koneru Humpy - was given the honour to formally inaugurate the event making the first moves against Krishna District Collector, K. Prabhakar Reddy, it was in due recognition of her stature in the world of chess.
To ensure that there is a touch of glamour and colour to the whole event, the organisers first called former India captain Mohd Azharuddin to inaugurate the main draw and are now planning to invite film actress Laya, herself a former national chess player, to enhance the atmosphere in the hall.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
|
