Chess Olympiad: How India earned the bragging rights

A casual chat led to India clinching the hosting rights for the Chess Olympiad 2022. Sounds incredible, but then a general query on hosting chess events in India sent by All India Chess Federation Secretary (AICF) Bharat Singh Chauhan to World Chess Federation (FIDE) President Arkady Dvorkovich, while on a train journey, literally scripted history.

The Chess Olympiad scheduled in Russia this year had to be pulled out due to the prevailing Russia-Ukraine crisis and Dvorkovich set stringent conditions, giving less than a week to AICF to come up with guarantees needed to host an event of this magnitude. This was in early February and Chauhan left no stone unturned in all the possibilities available at his disposal.

AICF had the option of three venues to explore, Delhi, Gujarat and Chennai but some whirlwind action by AICF and Tamil Nadu government saw Mahabalipuram near Chennai being chosen as the venue. The most daunting demand of USD 10 million guarantee to FIDE was instantly met by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin who also assured and pledged whole- hearted support on the organisational front.

Nearly 1200 Hotel rooms were booked in a single day and another 2800 singled out and the Convention Centre of Four Points by Sheraton decided as the venue after a quick recce of the town Mahabalipuram, boasting a UNESCO World Heritage site. AICF managed to satisfy all FIDE requirements on the logistic and monetary side in less than a week, even as other countries also keen on bagging hosting rights were still in preliminary stages of scouting and exploring their options. Incidentally the Olympiad hosting rights normally are awarded four years before the event, providing ample time for preparation and smooth conduct of the event.

Another decisive factor for FIDE to tilt in India’s favour was the endorsement for the Indian bid given by five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand to bring the Olympiad to his home city, seeped in chess culture. Earlier in 2013, Chennai had successfully hosted the World Chess Championship Match between Anand and Magnus Carlsen. The 44th Chess Olympiad is slated from July 28 to August 10.

Team AICF then immediately in March, moved bag and baggage to Mahabalipuram to set up a temporary office and begin preparations in full swing. With less than four-month's time as against the usual four years allotted for preparation, it has been a Herculean effort to put things in place, including a temporary structure at the venue to accommodate about 350 teams. Each team comprises of 5 players, a manager and a trainer. Add to that arbiters, journalists and other support staff.

A record 187 countries, the highest ever in the almost hundred-year history, have registered to participate with 188 teams in the Open section and 162 in the Women’s section. India has also assured FIDE that Covid protocols will be in place considering the pandemic situation in the world. India as host nation is entitled to field an extra team in both sections but odd entries in the Open Section resulted in India getting an opportunity to field an additional team. Three in the Open section and two in the women section has 25 Indians playing in the same Olympiad, the highest ever in history.

Another heartening aspect of this Olympiad is the introduction of a new tradition from this edition - the torch relay. This is a celebration of chess and also an acknowledgement of India as the birth place of Chess, tracing back to the 8th century. The Torch Run, along the lines of the Olympics will always begin in India, traverse through different cities in India, then across the world before culminating in the host country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the torch run on 19th June at Indira Gandhi Stadium Delhi, handing over the Flame to India’s first GM Viswanathan Anand. Indian Grandmasters have been carrying the flame and will visit 75 cities in India before reaching Mahabalipuram on 27th July.