A family affair
It’s as difficult to pronounce Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa’s name as it is to beat him at a chess tournament. This slim and very smart teenager appears relaxed when he enters the meeting room in a classic brown suit without tie. He looks like any other young man of his age. Born and raised in Chennai in the Madras region of southern India, he explains how his parents allowed him to watch ‘sensible’ TV programmes when he was a young kid. In his case, sensible programmes meant watching chess games. “I started to learn the rules of chess at the age of three,” he explains. “My sister Vaishali was the first one to start. She used to practice a lot, and I picked it up.” His older sibling was clearly an inspiration. “My mother took me to all my sister’s tournaments because she didn’t want to leave me alone at home,” he laughs. At five, R. Pragg started playing in tournaments. The following year, he even took part in the Indian Nationals and finished second. That was the start of his chess journey. “I was playing for fun and just began winning tournaments,” says the chess talent. In this way, chess became the new normal for him.
Every move matters
Chess is a board game between two players. Originating in Spain during the second half of the 15th century, it was also known as ‘chaturanga’, a similar older game with Indian origins. Today, chess is one of the world’s most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide. Strategy is crucial, which makes the game even more captivating. Chessboards have 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. At the outset, each player controls 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. The player who moves first controls the white pieces, and the other controls the black pieces. What is the most important character trait needed to be a good chess player? For R. Pragg, the answer is clear: “Fight until the very last moment, never give up. I do not give up any point easily. Every move matters.” R. Pragg was the second-youngest in the history of the game to become a grandmaster, at the age of 12. And he recently pulled off one of the most memorable victories in his fledgling career over world number one Magnus Carlsen. The young champion doesn’t take anything for granted and relies on his country’s support to compete. “My success is also India’s success,” he posted on Instagram.
Digital transformation of chess
Digital technology is everywhere and when it touches a long-established game like chess, it gets particularly imaginative: Users are matched with a player of similar playing strength instantaneously. Chess books have made way for chess videos and interactive, timed chess puzzles with real-time leaderboards. Twitch streams give hobby players access to the thinking of chess masters and these streams are furnished with micro-communities, memes and chat. Chess has never been so social! The game has shifted to bite-size, shorter time controls to appeal to busy schedules and impatient punters . “The shift from real-world chess boards and chess clubs to digital hasn’t just been a relocation, it’s been a substantive promotion and a true transformation,” explains Marc Zao Sanders, founder of learning tech company filtered.com.
Despite its time-honoured traditions, chess already entered the digital world in the 1970s. Online chess games and platforms are constantly being developed and adapting to new trends that will shape our future. “One of the fastest-growing games on Twitch is also one of the oldest. Over the past few months, the ancient board game has become a mainstay of the streaming platform, thanks to a combination of popular streamers and big-name chess champions playing online. According to data, the hours of chess watched on Twitch have nearly doubled every month this year; in May, the number topped more than 8 million hours watched,” according to The Verge.
R. Pragg is aware of the advantage of being raised in a digital world and likes to play chess both online and offline. “I don’t see too much difference playing online and offline,” he explains. The young talent is thrilled to be part of this digital world but is cautious about social media: “I try not to look at social media during events because I know it affects me a lot”.”
No head for figures
R. Pragg’s family is extremely important to him. His family have always been really supportive. Chess grandmasters earn a lot of money and many young chess grandmasters find it hard to manage their finances. “My dad is a great support and deals with finances. I don’t have a clue about money,” confesses R. Pragg. “A good national player remains an inspiration to others,” explains R. Pragg, referring to Indian chess champion, G. Akash. “My ambition is to become a world champion, but it’s a long process and there are a lot of things to improve.”. R. Pragg is a humble, hardworking champion. In addition to homeschooling, he spends a lot of time every day sharpening his chess moves.
Chess competition today is governed internationally by FIDE (International Chess Federation). The first universally recognised World Chess Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, claimed his title in 1886; Magnus Carlsen is the current World Champion. A huge body of chess theory has developed since the game’s inception.
Young chess talents and Julius Baer
Julius Baer supports young talents and understands how chess can have educational benefits. The bank is a proud partner of the Champions Chess Tour. The Champions Chess Tour, organised by Chess.com, is a season-long series of tournaments which feature the world’s best chess players, including 30-year-old Norwegian World Champion Magnus Carlsen himself.
As part of the partnership, Julius Baer will place a special focus on fostering the educational benefits of chess and supporting the next generation of chess players. Yves Robert-Charrue, Head of Switzerland, Europe, Middle East & Africa at Julius Baer, says: “We believe in chess’s potential to nurture skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving. It is a game with an undeniable heritage, and similar to Julius Baer, this online version of the game is taking a new approach, adapting to trends that will shape our future.”