Young IM Mendonca struck in Hungary, uses time to hone his chess skills

Stranded in Hungary along with his father owing to travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, young Indian chess player Leon Mendonca is using the time to hone his skills in the game of 64-squares besides focusing on his academics.

The 14-year old International Master (with an Elo rating of 2452) went to Budapest to play a tournament there but has been stuck there since March 18 due to lockdown because of the pandemic.

"We are now safe and sound in an apartment in Budapest waiting for the lockdown to get over before returning to India," Mendonca told PTI from the Hungarian capital.

"I wake up at 7.30 am and I say my prayers. I also do some yoga to maintain my physical fitness and do some meditation as well. I distribute my time between academics and chess.

"I practice chess based on what I think is a priority, and what I feel like doing. I also read some chess books recently- "Saying No to Chess Principles' by Evgeny Bareev and 'Life and Games of Mikhail Tal."