Kramnik to train budding Indian chess players in Spain

A group of up-and-coming Indian chess players will train under former world chess champion Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik in Spain in December, the organisers said on Thursday.

According to the organisers, Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand has also expressed his willingness to partner the company in helping the youngsters.

This will be the second chess coaching camp to be conducted by Kramnik for Indian players after the first one was held in Geneva for six young players.

The six players who attended the camp in Geneva were Grand Masters R Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh, Raunak Sadhwani, P Iniyan, Prithu Gupta and International Master Leon Mendonca.

GM Arjun Erigasi, who missed out on the session due to an injury following an accident, is expected to be part of the Spain camp.

One or two other players are likely to join the six in the forthcoming camp.

S Kailasanathan, managing director of Microsense, who are organising the program, said another camp is being planned in Chennai in the first quarter of next year where Kramnik and some other chess players will train Indian players across age categories.

Most of the participants in the camp conducted by Kramnik said they had benefitted a lot by interacting with the Russian legend and felt another session would be helpful.

Praggnanandhaa had after winning the World Under-18 title in Mumbai recently said the Kramnik camp was a big learning experience for him and others.

Iniyan said he had benefited a lot by interacting with Kramnik, a view echoed by Praggnanandhaa.