On a humid weekend evening in Chennai’s Anna Nagar Tower Park, groups of strangers gather around chessboards under the trees. 

Some are schoolchildren still in sports jerseys. Others are office-goers winding down after a long week. A few are retirees revisiting a hobby they had once abandoned years ago.

The atmosphere is relaxed. There are no tense tournament silences or anxious parents hovering nearby. Players chat between moves, laugh over mistakes, and occasionally pause their games to discuss strategies with complete strangers.

In a city known for producing world-class chess talent, these gatherings are unusual for one reason: most people here have not come with the pressure of becoming champions. 

Instead, they have come together simply to enjoy the game.

Behind this growing movement is Chennai Chess Club, an initiative started by Paul Vannan K and Varun A in 2023, to create informal, welcoming spaces where people of all ages and skill levels can play chess offline and build a community around it.

Moving beyond competitive chess

India’s chess culture has expanded dramatically in recent years — from Viswanathan Anand’s legacy to the rise of young players like R Praggnanandhaa. Across Chennai, coaching centres and academies train children for competitive tournaments from an early age.

But casual chess spaces, especially for adults, remain surprisingly limited.

Paul explained that this gap........

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