{"id":287385,"date":"2025-02-03T12:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T12:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=287385"},"modified":"2025-02-02T06:31:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-02T06:31:26","slug":"chess-prodigy-at-three-hes-internationally-ranked-but-is-confused-and-scared-by-the-limelight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2025\/02\/chess-prodigy-at-three-hes-internationally-ranked-but-is-confused-and-scared-by-the-limelight\/","title":{"rendered":"Chess Prodigy at Three: He\u2019s Internationally Ranked but Is Confused and Scared by the Limelight"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Anish Sarkar began playing chess on a train and now practices eight hours a day after becoming the world\u2019s youngest ever FIDE-rated player.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

26 Jan 2025 <\/em>– January 4 saw a ceremony to celebrate the achievements of the students at the Dhanuka Dhanseri Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy in Kolkata, India. The hall was full of proud parents, early-school children, and teenagers who show promise at the state and national levels.<\/p>\n

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They were called one-by-one for prizes by the institute\u2019s founder, industrialist Chandra Kumar Dhanuka, and their coach, India\u2019s second grandmaster, Dibyendu Barua.<\/p>\n

The gathered journalists had their attention focused on a shy three-year-old sitting in a corner. Almost too young for school, he avoided the cameras whenever he realized he was being filmed. Finally, Anish Sarkar was called on stage and the cameras kept on clicking. Requests for photos continued.<\/p>\n

Finally, Anish had had enough. \u201cNo photos, no more photos,\u201d<\/em> he protested. His mother and coach intervened, saying he was cranky because he had to leave a practice game in the class downstairs.<\/p>\n

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Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua, Anish Sarkar and industrialist Chandrakumar Dhanuka at the prize distribution ceremony on January 4 at Dhanuka Dhunseri Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy. \u00a9\u00a0 Dipanjan Sinha<\/p><\/div>\n

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There was a little disappointment around as everyone wanted more of the chess prodigy. After the photo session, Anish rushed back to complete his game.<\/p>\n

\"Chess <\/picture> <\/b><\/a><\/div>\n
READ MORE: <\/em><\/b>Chess King Gukesh: How an 18-year-old dreamer checkmated the world<\/em><\/span> <\/a><\/div>\n

\u201cHe spends over eight hours a day playing chess. He enjoys nothing more,\u201d<\/em> his mother R Chatterjee (name changed at her request)\u00a0explained to RT, as he was planning his next moves.<\/p>\n

Anish, who turns four on Sunday, took the chess world by storm by becoming the youngest International Chess Federation (FIDE<\/a>) rated player in November. He was all of three years and eight months old.<\/p>\n

Born on January 26, 2021, Anish made his debut in competitive chess with the West Bengal state Under-9 Open in October, securing 5.5 out of 8 points and finishing 24th. He defeated two rated players, Arav Chatterjee and Ahilaan Baishya.<\/p>\n

A week later, Anish played again in the West Bengal state Under-13 Open, where he faced players who were at least six years older. But this tournament ensured that he met the requirement of facing five rated players, earning him an initial FIDE rating of 1555. With this, he broke the record set by Tejas Tiwari, who had become the youngest FIDE-rated player at the age of five.<\/p>\n

Anish\u2019s journey started on a train. He was just three, and saw another boy of about nine playing chess. The two started playing.\u00a0\u201cHe had picked up a bit of chess watching videos online but we were both surprised to see him win,\u201d<\/em> his mother told RT. \u201cLike most parents, we wanted to enroll him in drawing or singing classes at this age. But we realized he has talent.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

But neither she nor his father had any idea about professional chess. They had played chess as children, as many people do.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am only learning the names of strategies and moves with Anish as I don\u2019t want to be completely left out of what is so important in his life,\u201d<\/em> Chatterjee said. \u201cAfter he learns a move, we go online and check what it is called or how it is played.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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A young and old man play chess on a road Footpath as others relax in Kolkata, India, Thursday, June 2, 2022.
\u00a9\u00a0 Debajyoti Chakraborty\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n

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They took Anish to Barua, who was initially not keen on admitting him to the academy due to his age.\u00a0\u201cWe don\u2019t really have a minimum age but three is too young, we usually don\u2019t go below five. It becomes difficult to manage if the children are scared or they can\u2019t use the toilet,\u201d<\/em> Barua told RT. But with Anish, just a few minutes was enough to convince Barua that he had a spark.<\/p>\n

\"This <\/picture> <\/b><\/a><\/div>\n
READ MORE: <\/em><\/b>This Indian chess prodigy shocked the world. RT reveals the story of the people behind his success<\/em><\/span> <\/a><\/div>\n

\u201cI gave him a problem to solve and was really impressed by the way he approached it,\u201d<\/em> Barua said. \u201cEven if he had watched it anywhere, it takes a lot for a child to remember such complex ideas.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Once he was admitted, Anish started spending several hours at the academy, sometimes at Barua\u2019s home too. \u201cBy October, I felt he was ready to play in some events and he performed as well as expected and more,\u201d<\/em> Barua said.<\/p>\n

Anish now spends around seven to eight hours at the academy after school. He and his mother leave home at 7am to catch the bus for school and then after resting a bit, head straight to the academy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe keeps practicing and often has dinner here,\u201d<\/em> Chatterjee said, as she made arrangements for his dinner for the day. When Anish practices, Chatterjee joins other parents sitting in the lobby and discussing the future of their children.<\/p>\n

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Chess players Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa of India (L) and Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, five-time World Chess Champion, compete on the first day of the 6th Tata Steel Chess Tournament on November 13, 2024 in Kolkata, India.
\u00a9\u00a0 Dipa Chakraborty\/ Pixelnews\/Future Publishing via Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n

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Barua, who became the youngest national champion in 1983, said the perception about chess has changed a lot in India. When he was growing up, it was seen as a bad habit for children, but now with many studies indicating that the game enhances thinking abilities in children, he finds more parents encouraging young children to play.<\/p>\n

With Anish\u2019s success, it has gone up even more. Barua now gets calls from the parents of two-year old children.<\/p>\n

But he is careful that early success does not distract Anish. \u201cThe journey to grandmaster success is far, far away,\u201d<\/em> Barua said. \u201cAnd this is what I have in mind for him. But as of now, he is just a child who loves chess. I don\u2019t want him to lose out on that joy at all.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

This kind of proper grooming is important for prodigies who often get lost in the long run, according to chess writer and coach Praful Zaveri.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are multiple factors that combine for final success,\u201d<\/em> Zaveri said. \u201cIf we look at world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, his parents had to take the difficult decision of allowing him to quit studies early on. While that may not be needed for all chess players, factors like strong financial backing and international exposure also become important.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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18-year-old Indian prodigy Gukesh D became the new FIDE World Champion and the 18th in the line of champions, the youngest ever in history, on December 12, 2024.<\/div>\n
\u00a9\u00a0 FIDE International Chess Federation<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When not playing chess, Sarkar is like other children. He likes to chase a football on the playground, loves biryani, and watches the educational YouTube channel Blippi. But even online, his preference is watching anything to do with chess.<\/p>\n

Chatterjee was clear that she does not want to put any pressure on Anish.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is too young to even understand what he has achieved and it becomes difficult for us middle-class parents to protect him from attention,\u201d<\/em> she said. He is sometimes confused when people recognise him on the bus or give up their seat for him.<\/p>\n

She felt such expectations can be difficult for him in the long run. \u201cThe same people can be upset if he does not continue to do as well in chess. So I am happy to wait till he becomes a grandmaster before there is any more media glare on him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Chatterjee is also open to him turning away from chess in the future. \u201cI am absolutely fine with it if he eventually decides to do something else,\u201d<\/em> she said. \u201cI just want him to be happy doing what he does.\u201d <\/em>The interview is over as the mother leaves to feed Anish.<\/p>\n

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Dipanjan Sinha is an independent Kolkata-based journalist.<\/em><\/p>\n

Go to Original – rt.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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