Bengaluru, Oct 11 (IANS) In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the two-time Olympic bronze medal-winning Indian men’s hockey team took part in a unique chess master class conducted by former international chess player and co-owner Prachura P Padakannaya at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) campus in Bengaluru.

The session aimed to help players think more clearly and make sharper decisions by drawing parallels from chess to hockey. Prachura emphasised how principles such as planning, anticipation, positioning, and patience can be effectively applied on the hockey field. Using video examples from actual game situations, he demonstrated the importance of foresight, calculated risk, and mental discipline in competitive sport.

During the session, Prachura outlined the three key phases of chess: the opening, middle game, and endgame. He explained that the opening involves making the right moves at the start to establish a solid foundation, much like a hockey team getting off to a good start. The middle game, where the most significant battles occur, was compared to the importance of controlling the midfield in hockey to achieve success in attack. Finally, the endgame, where precision and mental toughness determine the result, was likened to a striker finishing off a move in hockey.

Here, Prachura showed the highlights from India’s Tokyo Olympics Bronze-medal performance—calling it the perfect endgame—where the Indian team kept their composure to hold a 5-4 lead against Germany despite their opponents earning a penalty corner in the last six seconds of the game.

He further explained the roles of each chess piece and related them to hockey positions: pawns acting as the first line of defence, rooks and bishops creating structure and movement, knights surprising opponents with unexpected moves, whilst the queen embodies versatility and dominance.

Reflecting on his interaction with the team, Prachura said, “The progression in both games is very, very similar. My experience here was fantastic because I never expected them to be so curious and engaging for a chess session. They were very inquisitive about the different formats in chess, how one needs to think seven-eight moves ahead and they were also quite amused to see how calm Gukesh’s heartrate was when I played the video of his recent match against Hikaru.

Even before the session began, they were interacting with me and were talking about what they do off the field and in their free time. It was nice to know at least half the team has played chess either with their family or teammates. It was a great experience to have and always a pleasure to interact with the best sportsmen of the country.”

Adding to the fun and engaging session, Prachura also invited the players for a friendly game of chess, and Indian midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad was the first to raise his hand for the challenge. He was partnered with Captain Harmanpreet Singh, who plays chess with his wife when he is back home on a break. The rest of the team cheered the duo on.

Sharing his thoughts, Vivek said, “It was a very insightful chess masterclass and we are grateful that Prachura made it so interesting by drawing similarities between the two sports. It was a learning experience, usually in hockey we have to think two-three moves ahead but in chess they are thinking seven-eight moves ahead and that’s something I would like to work on personally on my game.”

Relating chess to his role in hockey, he said, “Like on the chessboard, I see myself as both the knight and the queen. The knight’s unpredictability and the queen’s freedom to move anywhere reflect my role as a midfielder. Just like them, I cover the field from attack to defence, stepping in wherever the team needs me.”

Adding to Vivek’s views, Harmanpreet said, “As elite athletes, we always have something new to learn from another sport. We learn many new facets of chess today and certainly more such engaging sessions will only help us have a holistic approach to our game and think differently.”

Indian men’s hockey chief coach Craig Fulton praised the initiative, stating, “Every game has a strategy and chess is one of the best ways to learn how to think several steps ahead. In hockey too, if you start with the wrong setup, you open yourself up to mistakes, it’s about getting the foundation right, adapting in the middle and finishing strong. That connection between chess and hockey was clear today. It was also encouraging to see how engaged the players were and I believe sessions like this will not only sharpen their decision making but also keep them positively occupied in their free time. Who knows, maybe we’ll even have an intra-squad chess tournament one day.”

–IANS

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