Infinity within 64 Squares
Posting here after a long time, this article has previously been published on the Chessbase India website and Evolving Perceptions blog. Visit here . “Well, it isn’t really a sport, is it?” “You don’t have to do much, right?” “There’s no workout, sounds more like an activity than a sport.” These are common replies one gets in my city when they tell someone that they are a chess player. No matter how much you know in your heart that chess is a unique blend of sport, science and art, hearing such one-liners makes you question the whole point of pursuing your passion. Face it on a regular basis and you will end up abandoning something you once treasured. For me, what started as a hobby at the age of 6, ended up being a means of escaping the world when it was too hard on me. Initially, everything was pretty smooth. I started attending classes with a group of kids three times a week and within a short span of time, I had started winning the state championships of my category regularly. Thi