Exclusive: Why is chess so cruel? Ask Grandmaster SL Narayanan
SL Narayanan at Delhi International Open GM Chess Tournament (Photo: TimesofIndia.com's special arrangements)
NEW DELHI: The 21st edition of Delhi International Open GM Chess Tournament ended with a somewhat familiar sight under the lavish roof of Chhatarpur's Tivoli Garden Resort on Saturday evening.
Abhijeet Gupta, now a serial winner at this event, lifted the trophy for a record fourth time and smiled for the cameras -- a Rs 7 lakh winner's cheque in hand.
Seated at one side of the playing hall quietly, lost in thought, was Grandmaster SL Narayanan.
27-year-old Narayanan came to Delhi as the man to beat. The only 2600-rated player in the fray, he stormed through the first five rounds with five wins.
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But chess, as he knows too well, can be merciless.
"I clearly wanted to win the event," Narayanan told TimesofIndia.com after the final round. "After five wins in five rounds, I relaxed a bit, thinking a couple of draws wouldn't hurt"
Delhi International GM Open final standings (TimesofIndia.com's special arrangements)
Indeed, five draws in the last five rounds, all against lower-rated players, meant Narayanan not only missed out on the title but also finished outside the top five, settling for a modest seventh place and Rs 1 lakh in prize money.
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"Yesterday's game was particularly painful," the Keralite added. "I was completely winning. I had 10-12 minutes on the clock; on any other day, I would have converted that easily. But nerves got the better of me."
Chess is as much a mental battle as it is about moves on a board, and Narayanan knows better than most how cruel it can be.
"I've been close to 2700 once. Now, I'm around 2600, a big drop. But I don't think my chess strength has fallen.
Mentally, though, I was trying too hard to win every game, and it backfired," he admitted.
A journey that began at nine
Narayanan's love affair with chess began thanks to his mother, Lyna. "She used to play at her office. One day, because I was so naughty at home, she took me along," he laughed.
Fascinated by the moving pieces, the young Narayanan wanted to play. "I asked if I could play too. She said, 'First, learn the moves.' That became my goal: to play the next year," recalled the Grandmaster, who was nine back then.
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"At that tournament hall, a rated player noticed my interest and suggested to my mother that I should get proper training." That's how a chance encounter at that office tournament led him to P Sreekumar, a former state champion who became his first coach.
Unlike some contemporaries who relied on parents for preparation, Narayanan found his own path. "I learned through books, a bit like Gukesh, but not as extreme. Until I became a GM, I stayed away from chess engines.
I believed you needed to think independently. But later I realised, as a professional, engine work is a must."
The financial tightrope
Chess in India has seen greater sponsorship in recent years, but Narayanan's journey hasn't been easy on that front.
"For a long time, I didn't have a steady sponsor. Once, Kris Gopalakrishnan of Infosys funded my trip to Turkey. When I made the Olympiad team, AICF gave me Rs 12 lakh, which I used fully for training.
And now, a private individual is supporting my training this year," he shared.
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It's a reminder that while the sport has grown, the players' backing varies wildly. "In Tamil Nadu, the government supports players brilliantly. Grandmasters are recognised, achievers are rewarded. It motivates players. But in other states, not only mine, that support is missing. I hope that changes. Young players need encouragement."
A battle off the board
The last two years have tested Narayanan like no opponent ever has. "It's hard to pinpoint, but my performance really dropped over the last two years. It's not that my chess strength declined. Other players were improving rapidly, and keeping up meant working extremely hard, which I was doing. I just couldn't understand what was going wrong, and that was frustrating.
"When I was 24 or 25, I was around 2700, which makes it quite frustrating to see how I've dropped over the past three years.
But as I said, if there was a clear drop in the quality of my games, I would consider it a serious issue. When I review my games with my coach and others, they can't even figure out exactly what went wrong. It could be that my mentality wasn't ideal. I do wish I could take that time back. I'm sure I'd be much higher-rated now.
But that's how it is, sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don't."
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But the fire still burns. At 27, Narayanan isn't ready to give up. "I still want to play for another two or three years. I believe I can come back, as long as I keep my mental attitude strong and keep looking ahead."
And as he walked away from the playing hall, head held high despite the disappointment, you could tell: SL Narayanan is far from done with the game he loves.
In chess, as in life, the comeback is always harder, and always sweeter.
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