Meteoric rise of Chess

ChessiZen is inspired by the meteoric rise in the popularity of Chess and its growing adoption in the mainstream both over-the-board (OTB) and online play formats in the recent three years. Chess.com, one of the most popular platforms, saw its registered members reach 100 million in December 2022 from 35 million in 2019. In Feb 2023, a billion games were played on Chess.com averaging 37 million games per day, a threefold increase from the previous year.

Over the last decade, the Indian Chess has witnessed the rise of Child Prodigies giving birth to aspiring young children from the age-group of 6-10 years who are learning the game with as much passion as the Grandmasters of India are competing at global level with the likes of Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Ding Liren, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Wesley So. India had a strong representation in the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022 held in Chennai where three teams each in Open/Men’s and Women’s categories gained recognition from the global chess community. The Olympiad gained global recognition as one of best organized events with representation of 350 teams from 187 countries and around 4000 professional chess players of all age groups. India won total of nine medals, including the historic women’s team bronze. India also won the prestigious Gaprindashvili Cup, given to the nation for their collective performance in both Open and women's sections.

India, where the game of Chess originated in the form of Chaturanga, has emerged as a force to reckon with, as it boasts an impressive chess roster with 85 Grandmasters (GM), including three female players holding the esteemed title as of December 2023. Furthermore, there are 136 International Masters (IM), with nine females among them, along with 23 woman Grandmasters (WGM) and 43 women International Masters (WIM).

It is a proud moment for Chess with prodigies emerging and making their mark on the global stage in all age groups.

In April 2024, the FIDE Candidates witnessed participation from five Grandmasters – Vidit Gujrathi, R. Praggnanandhaa, D. Gukesh, R. Vaishali and Koneru Humpy. The future is promising as well for Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, Raunak Sadhwani, Divya Deshmukh, Savitha Shri and prodigies led by Ilamparthi, Ethan Vaz, Charvi A. who have made their mark on the global arena winning laurels for the country. With an impressive performance, D. Gukesh became the youngest winner in the Candidates and will be the Challenger in the upcoming FIDE World Chess Championship to be held from 25th November till 15th December 2024. Gukesh will compete with the current World Champion Ding Liren.

The 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad, held in Budapest from September 10-23, 2024, was a grand spectacle of chess excellence. Featuring total number of 1,884 participants: 975 in the Open and 909 in the Women's event, the number of registered teams was 197 from 195 nations in the Open section and 183 from 181 nations in the Women's section.

The event showcased intense competition and historic achievements, with India emerging as the standout nation, clinching double gold in both the Open and Women's sections, as well as Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy. The Women's team secured their first gold medal in an over-the-board Olympiad, overcoming setbacks like a loss to Poland and a tie with the U.S. Meanwhile, the Open team displayed flawless consistency, winning all matches. Kazakhstan earned its first-ever medal with a silver in the Women's section, while the U.S. claimed bronze, marking their first podium finish in this category since 2008. India won four Individual Golds with a determined and spectacular performance by Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Divya Deshmukh and Avantika.

The Olympiad was held at the SYMA Sports and Conference Centre, with innovative and eco-friendly arrangements, reflecting Hungary’s commitment to sustainable sports events. Key highlights included top performances from rising stars and veteran players alike, emphasizing the global appeal of chess.

Multiple tournaments are organized around the world including Asian, Commonwealth and FIDE World Championship for age groups categories of U-8 to U-14 in open and girls, as well as the Junior Championships. The world has witness man emerging chid prodigies like Abhimanyu Mishra (USA and youngest GM in 2021), Turkish Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (GM and youngest to achieve 2600 rating), Argentinian Faustino Oro (Youngest IM at 10 years, 8 months Argentina) and WFM Bodhana Sivanandan (Chesskid Amabassador and World U-8 Champion). At the time of publishing the report, a three year old Anish Sarkar became the youngest player to achieve a FIDE rating of 1555 in the State U-9 Championship.

ChessBase India has played a significant role in promoting chess in India. It boasts over 1.2 million YouTube subscribers and has become a hub for chess content, including tournament analysis, live streams, and tutorials featuring top players like Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen. Founded in 2016 by the couple duo of IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal, it also supports grassroots initiatives such as funding young players through Helpchess Foundation and organizing chess camps like Teach Chess India. Through partnerships and educational content, ChessBase India has made chess accessible to a broader audience and contributed to India's growing reputation as a chess powerhouse.

Chessizen shall strive to foster collaboration with established organizations while introducing innovative projects such as Chess on Farm, Chess Revitalize, Chess Ikonxt and Chessizen Productions. We aim to create a vibrant community by welcoming contributors from all walks of chess life—be it titled players, enthusiastic hobbyists, media professionals, senior citizens, or dedicated chess parents.

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