Viswanathan Anand: Chess can have a wider audience

India`s chess legend Viswanathan Anand. Pic/AFP

The popularity of chess has seen a rise during the COVID-19 pandemic with many participating in online competitions during the lockdown.

Riding on the wave, India's chess legend Viswanathan Anand recently announced the launch of the Global Chess League, which according to the five-time world champion, will enhance the profile of the sport in the country.

The Global Chess League, which is planned for this year, will be an eight-team affair in a phygital form (a combination of physical and digital events).

According to Anand, with online chess events getting wider acceptance in India, it will take the sport to a new level with the integration of technology.

"Trends have shown that chess can reach a much wider audience. And last year, especially in India, the use of technology has helped in making this a reality. The moment is opportune. A unique opportunity exists to popularise it further and dramatically enhance its visibility through a global league powered by technology," Anand, 51, told mid-day.com

The Padma and Arjuna awardee, who became the first grandmaster from India in 1988, said the idea of the league was formed during the Online Chess Olympiad in August last year, where India finished joint-winners with Russia.

"Last year was very interesting for chess and exposed many possibilities for the game. People were sitting at home and playing chess games online. The dramatic finish at the Chess Olympiad, provided further impetus to the game," said Anand, who is one of the few players to have surpassed an Elo rating of 2800, a feat he first achieved in 2006.

The Indian chess wizard revealed that it was Anand Mahindra, one of India's top industrialists, who approached him with the idea.

"A couple of months later, Tech Mahindra approached me, and we conceptualised the Global Chess League, trying to leverage the online platform to do something globally. And at the same time, try to host it at physical locations for technical reasons. I think this combination is very interesting, so we decided to build upon something solid like a League," said Anand, who is the League's mentor and advisor.

Elaborating more on the format, Anand, said: "The event is phygital. That is, each franchise will bring the players to one location so that it resembles a physical event and they will play there. However, the opponent will be from another country and that will allow us to have a global league. So, there is no travelling to different countries but only at a local or regional level."

The league is planned in collaboration with Tech Mahindra, who will provide operational and technological support. And Jagdish Mitra, who is the chief strategy officer and Head of Growth, Tech Mahindra, said it was Anand who envisioned the league.

"Last year, during the Chess Olympiad, Anand tweeted about the game and pointed out subsequent tech glitches that led to a tie outcome in the final. The tweet led to this collaboration with Anand, it triggered a bulb in our heads," said Mitra.