Chess Championships have been the dream of many a school child. The all-time great Viswana-than Anand is a constant one point source of inspiration to budding chess enthusiasts and many undergo rigorous training to achieve success like he has. In the afterglow of Viswananthan’s massive string of successes, the number of students learning chess is on the rise.

Chess coach Velayudham comments, “More children are eyeing chess coaching classes these days. Viswanathan Anand's recent win has brought back the craze for indoor games — students are pouring in to learn. The Tamil Nadu government has made chess coaching compulsory in schools as well. This helps almost all the students learn the game at their own schools. Chess inculcates dedication and improves concentration. It is good if more students are attending these classes.”

While the budding grandmasters plot their nth moves, parents stand by as strong pillars of strength. Pursuing a game like chess means loads of sacrifice and adjustments primarily from the parents’ side. Nagalakshmi, mother of Vishali and Pragyanand, spends most of her time travelling between tournaments with the kids. Both Vishali and Pragyanand are Asian gold medallists.

Nagalakshmi says, “Parents have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. My younger son Pragyanand who is just seven years old needs my emotional support during tournaments. Lots of dedication from the parents’ side is needed to support chess players. The game is expensive as well. I need to spend close to Rs20,000 every month. But we know it is worth it.”

Chess, as surprising as it may seem, is an expensive game. Coach Velayudham says, “Yes, it is an expensive game. We have to train an individual for international contests. A coach plays a vital role in the victory of his students. We put in a lot of effort from our side; the entire training process deserves a solid fee structure.”

Budding chess champions are also under pressure to strike a balance between academics and their passion. Amidst their busy schedule they get time to attend only the exams in school. Karthikeyan, a budding chess champion, and world champion in the under-12 category at the competition held in Brazil, works hard to strike this balance.

His father Murali says, “I have seen most parents discontinuing coaching classes citing that academics get affected with so much travel and so many hours of regular practice. The truth is different. My son's concentration power has increased a lot with his chess practice. He is able to quickly solve mathematical problems. Actually, I can see better results in his exams after his regular chess practice.”

Karthikeyan says, “I would like to become a grandmaster. I know it needs loads of hardwork and dedication. Viswanathan Anand inspires me greatly. My passion drives me and I dream about it everyday.”

Are kids forced to learn chess due to parental pressure? Not at all, says Balachander, father of Preethika. “My daughter insisted on chess coaching at a very young age. I just started her with learning and she is now playing tournaments. She was rated in the top 5 in the state level competition. It has to do with the brain and nobody can force anybody to learn it. She reads chess related books everyday and updates her gaming skill.”

Vishwanathan Anand might have sparked off an entire set of determined parents, coaching classes and hardworking kids who are busy preparing to be like him and conquer new worlds in chess; the final round however goes to this intense game with two people sitting across a table