NEW DELHI: Reigning world chess champion D Gukesh Dommaraju has named legendary cricketer MS Dhoni as his idol, drawing inspiration from Dhoni’s unshakable composure under pressure. Gukesh admires the former Indian captain’s ability to stay calm in high-stakes situations and follows his mantra for handling pressure, especially in crucial moments.Recently, Gukesh spoke about his deep…
D Gukesh plays chess with Ashwin (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: Newly crowned world chess champion D Gukesh received a hero’s welcome from Chennai Super Kings at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium ahead of IPL 2025. The 18-year-old chess prodigy not only met the CSK squad but also shared a special moment with veteran India spinner Ravichandran…
Koneru Humpy. (PTI Photo) Koneru Humpy with her husband and daughter (X Photo)NEW DELHI: In the quiet, black-and-white corridors of chess, where the ticking clock echoes louder than the heartbeat, Koneru Humpy remains seated like an ancient banyan tree — rooted, rigid, and regal.Behind her stillness stays the tremors of sacrifice as the real championship…
Nodirbek Yakubboev chooses ‘Namaste’ over handshake in greeting Divya Deshmukh (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: Uzbek grandmaster (GM) Nodirbek Yakubboev greeted India’s Divya Deshmukh with a traditional ‘Namaste’ before the start of their third-round clash in what appeared to be a heartwarming moment at the Prague Festival Challengers 2025. While the match itself ended in disappointment for…
R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh (Tata Steel Chess Tournament Photo) NEW DELHI: The latest FIDE ratings for March 2025 have brought significant shifts in the chess world, with GM Gukesh Dommaraju reaching a career-high world number-three ranking. His remarkable performance at the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025 — a runner-up medal — saw him surpass…
Magnus Carlsen (Photo Credit: @FIDE_chess on X) NEW DELHI: Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world champion and the current world no. 1 in chess, found himself in an unusual situation involving a pair of jeans and a dress code violation last year. During the 2024 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New…
Anna Muzychuk (FIDE Chess Photo) NEW DELHI: Ukraine’s top-ranked Anna Muzychuk, eighth in the world, is set to compete in Norway Chess Women 2025 (May 26–June 6), determined to build on her strong runner-up finish from last year.Born into a chess family, Anna learnt the ABC of the 64 squares early, guided by her parents,…
Magnus Carlsen (Photo Credit: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes) NEW DELHI: In his column for The Economist last January, Magnus Carlsen, a five-time World Chess champion and the current World No. 1, penned, “As the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour begins, I look forward not only to competing but to witnessing how this format reshapes…
D Gukesh (Credit: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes) NEW DELHI: The 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam kicked off at Weissenhaus on Germany’s Baltic coast, with Chess960 taking centre stage on Friday. The tournament, featuring top grandmasters, serves as a preliminary rapid event to determine the eight players advancing to the knockout phase.Indian GM D Gukesh,…
R Praggnanandhaa (Tata Steel Chess Tournament Photo) NEW DELHI: In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious at the Tata Steel Masters 2025, held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. His triumph was celebrated upon his return to Chennai, where officials from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) greeted…
