Your daily dose of Indian chess.
News from the board, stories of the legends, and puzzles to keep you sharp.
Chess began in India as chaturanga, around the 6th century CE, during the Gupta empire.
From the Chess Bharat desk
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The Importance of John Cochrane in Indian Chess History
A Scottish barrister who led the Calcutta Chess Club, funded London 1851 and recorded hundreds of Indian games.
Uzbekistan Break India’s Hearts at Round 6, and Women Beat USA 3-1
Uzbekistan edged India 2.5-1.5 in the Open, with 3 draws and Yakubboev’s win over Nihal Sarin.
Chess Olympiad 2026 Round 5: India’s Open Team Wins, Women Lose
The Open team beat the Netherlands 3-1, while the Women lost a close match to Poland.
Round 4: Both Indian Teams Win 3-1, Savitha Stays Perfect
Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi won, Pragg let a win slip, and Savitha Shri stayed 4/4.
How to Prepare for a FIDE Rated Tournament
A personal guide for unrated and club players: what to train, and what tournament day is really like.
Round 3: India’s Open Took Down Italy, Women Beat Greece
Nihal Sarin, Vantika Agrawal and Savitha Shri B all perfect through three rounds.
Chess Bharat is written for the people who follow Indian chess closely, from club tournaments to the international stage. We cover the games, the players and the history that doesn’t always make the news, and we try to get the details right.
Some of that history is forgotten. A win that mattered, a player nobody remembers, a story buried in an old archive. We dig those out too, not because you need to know them, but because they matter to Indian chess.
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