India’s Chess Nationals Marred by Monkeys, Power Cuts, and Leaking Tents as Country Prepares to Host World Cup
India’s Chess Nationals Marred by Monkeys, Power Cuts, and Leaking Tents as Country Prepares to Host World Cup
Players describe ‘survival challenge’ at Guntur event amid growing scrutiny of tournament standards
As India readies to host the prestigious FIDE World Cup in Goa later this month, troubling accounts have emerged from the recently concluded 62nd National Chess Championship in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Players described the event as chaotic, with monkeys invading the venue, rainwater leaking onto chessboards, power cuts disrupting play, and minimal air-conditioning inside a makeshift tent.
Grandmaster Sethuraman SP, a two-time national champion, summed up the experience in a viral post on X: “The 62nd Indian National Championship felt more like a survival challenge than a chess tournament. Monkeys on the shamiana, rainwater dripping onto boards, power cuts during time trouble—it had everything except proper conditions.”
The event, held in a tented area of Vignan University, hosted nearly 400 players. One participant recalled that the cooling “reached only specific boards,” while another noted that “monkeys were jumping on the tent and even entered the playing area.” Power outages struck several times on the opening day, plunging games into darkness and confusion.
What a lineup in the US National Chess Championship!
— Ramesh RB (@Rameshchess) October 13, 2025
For over two decades, most chess players in India have dreamed of a closed National Championship where the top players compete for the National title!
It is unfortunate that we have not come up with a format (which every…
Food arrangements, too, drew criticism, with limited options and no non-vegetarian meals for players seeking adequate nutrition. Although organisers reportedly improved conditions after the chaotic first day, the damage to the event’s reputation had been done.
Sethuraman later shared that All India Chess Federation (AICF) President Nitin Narang personally assured him that “the matter will be taken seriously” and “better standards will be ensured” in future tournaments.
Thanks to the AICF President@narangnitin for his call and concern over this issue. He has assured that proper standards will be set for future events. https://t.co/hNRSd7zC85
— Sethuraman (@sethuramanchess) October 7, 2025
Prominent coach GM RB Ramesh also voiced concern over India’s failure to provide world-class conditions despite its global chess dominance. “India is the strongest chess-playing nation in the world, with the weakest National Championship,” he remarked, calling for reforms that encourage top players to compete domestically.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time, as India’s chess calendar enters its most high-profile phase with the upcoming World Cup. The Guntur episode has sparked a wider conversation about infrastructure, professionalism, and respect for players who represent the sport at its highest level.
