Quick answer: Chennai is called the chess capital of India because it produced India's first International Master (Manuel Aaron), India's first Grandmaster and five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, and World Champion Gukesh D, along with top grandmasters such as R Praggnanandhaa and R Vaishali. Tamil Nadu has one of the highest numbers of grandmasters of any Indian state and hosted the 2022 Chess Olympiad at Mamallapuram.
A history of firsts
- Manuel Aaron became India's first International Master in 1961 and won the national championship many times.
- Viswanathan Anand, from Chennai, became India's first Grandmaster in 1988 and went on to become World Champion.
- Gukesh D, also from Chennai, won the World Championship match in December 2024, becoming the youngest undisputed world champion in history.
- R Praggnanandhaa and his sister R Vaishali are both Grandmasters from Chennai.
The 2022 Chess Olympiad
The 44th Chess Olympiad was held at Mamallapuram, near Chennai, in 2022 — the first time India hosted the event. It inspired thousands of new players across Tamil Nadu.
Why so many champions?
Strong coaching culture, active district associations, a dense calendar of rated tournaments, school chess and role models who grew up in the same neighbourhoods all play a part. Families in Chennai treat chess as a serious path, not just a hobby.
Start your own journey
Srinivasan Chess Academy in Chromepet carries this culture forward with offline classes across Chennai and live online classes.
