By
Omkar Khandekar
India is eager to turn kids into chess masters. Above: Trainer Selvabharathy — he has just one name — conducts a class at the Madras School of Chess in Chennai, using the online platform Lichess.org as a teaching tool.
CHENNAI, India – On a balmy morning last fall in the coastal Indian city of Chennai, dozens of fans perched on their seats as they watched an elite-level tournament unfold. Some shook their legs nervously, others gave death glares to folks with the misfortune of sitting on creaky chairs.
On stage, some of the world's best players were gathered for the annual Chennai Grand Masters. After a thrilling tiebreaker, 25-year-old Indian prodigy Aravindh Chithambaram prevailed. The audience broke into applause. Dozens rushed to the stage. Organizers formed a human chain to allow players to leave without being mobbed.
