An experience that's worthwhile.

The Tata Steel Chess India , is the country’s biggest chess tournament featuring the cream of chess players , involving players not only from India but also , across the world . And being involved was no less an achievement. After a year’s forced pause due to once in a century pandemic, this over the board chess tournament was nothing short of a festival . That’s for the overwhelmingly supportive audience , organisers , players , die hard chess fans exceedingly excited to take a photograph , or get an autograph of their favourite chess players and commentators. There were multitude of folks in attendance with passage of every hour on the tournament days from 17th November to 21st November 2021 . This was primarily because of the entry fee being absolutely free ,as the only requirement was the TATA Steel Chess India's paper pass . In other words , the timeless classic game received the priceless fame . Something which was one of a kind if compared to other games or sporting events .

The prestigious chess tournament had two time controls . 25 minutes + 10 seconds increment from the first move made in the rapid section. And for the blitz section the time control was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment from the first move . The venue for this prestigious chess tournament was the National Library of India , inside the Bhasha Bhavan auditorium . This National library of India was formerly known as the Belvedere house . A reason why the name of the location’s road is Belvedere road . This palatial establishment was once the residence of Warren Hastings , the fourth governor general of Bengal presidency , in BRITISH INDIA . A part of which is today’s the National Library ,the biggest library in India. Returning to the tournament , the silence inside the playing venue while any round was in progress was more silent than the silence of a midnight in any Sikkimese mountain valley . And the sound of audience clapping after the finish of any round or during the presence of the legendary chess legend GM VISHWANATHAN ANAND on the playing area was more than hundreds of glass plates clattering and breaking simultaneously . For me , personally , 17th November to 21st November of 2021 was the happiest 5 days that I have lived in my life . By far ! It's said that to see is to believe . And it was this event which enabled me to realise how grand the grandeur of chess is . How approachable , cordial & humble every participating chess players are, irrespective of being such of such elite grandmasters of the game . In a sentence , a tournament worth remembering and an event to cherish , feel nostalgic about for several more years to come.

Regards,
IGCC
25/11/2021
(Date of typing)