5 best Chess players from India
Chess is said to have originated in India and then sent to Europe via the Arab world. However, Russians proved to be the undisputed rulers of this world with the country producing several all-time greats. The popularity of the game has increased in India due to the phenomenal success of Vishwanathan Anand. Let us have a look at 5 best Indian chess players.
The Grandmaster from Chennai
This 4-time Indian Chess Championship winner, K Sasikiran, is ranked 78th in the world. In 2007, his Elo rating was 2,700+ as he became only the second Indian player to achieve this rating. Sasikiran helped India win the bronze at the 2014 Chess Olympiad by scoring 7.5/10 on board 3. He also won the gold medal at 2006 Asian Games.
The U-16 World Champion Grandmaster
Bhaskar Adhiban was the 2008 U-16 World Champion and the winner of the Masters Open tournament of the Biel Chess Festival. He was also a part of the Indian team which won bronze at 2010 Asian Games. The Tata Steel Challenges tournament was won by him in 2016 after a 3-way tie. Adhiban's current FIDE rating is 2,671.
The brilliant young mind
Vidit Santosh Gujrathi became a Grandmaster at the age of 18 in January 2013. He is the fourth Indian chess player to have crossed the FIDE rating of 2,700. In 2009, Vidit won the World Youth Chess Championship. The Nagpur International Open in 2011 saw him finish with 8 points out of 11, just behind the winner Ziaur Rahman.
The one who broke into top 10
Harikrishna is a Grandmaster with several tournament wins under his belt. He was once the youngest Indian Grandmaster and became Commonwealth Champion in 2001. Harikrishna achieved an amazing feat in February 2013 when he crossed the 2,700-mark on the FIDE rating system for the first time. Three years later, he broke into the top 10 with a rating of 2,768.
One of the greatest of all time
India's pride Vishwanathan Anand has won almost everything a chess player can dream of. The current World Rapid Chess Champion, Vishy, became the 4th chess player ever to cross the 2,800 mark on the FIDE rating list. He still holds the record of occupying the number 1 position for the sixth longest time. He has defended the World Championship successfully on 4 occasions.
