From cricket to chess: The accidental Grandmaster

Chess happened by accident but it was a happy accident: Vidit Gujrathi

Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi was just another Indian kid who dreamt of becoming a cricketer in his childhood before an accidental initiation to chess, which he feels was a 'very happy accident'.

Gujrathi was part of the five-member Indian men's team that won a historic gold in the open category of the recent Olympiad in Budapest. To make the achievement more memorable, the Indian women's team also bagged the gold, making it double celebration for the country.

"It was accidental. I was six-years-old and I was very mischievous as a child. My parents wanted to engage me in some activity. I used to play cricket like every Indian kid," Gujrathi told PTI in an interview.

"He took me to a club and there cricket was played with season ball, so my Dad said to me wait for a year and then play cricket, till then pick another sport. So I started chess.

"My father taught me and I wanted to win against him, so that was the motivation. It was an accident but a very happy accident," he added.

The 29-year-old from Nashik became a Grandmaster in 2013 and was also a part of India's silver medal-winning side at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

"It has not sunk in yet but I do know this achievement is going to stay with us for a long time. Score of 21 out of 22, highest-ever and it would be hard to break this record. With women's team also winning gold, it was double the joy. You cannot write such a perfect script," Gujrathi said.

"This was the same team that played in the Asian Games. That was the first time we all were together. We won silver there and there were lessons that we learnt from the Asian Games. This time we came with a new vibe, we are rooting for each other, celebrating each others' success."

Gujrathi said it was not easy to script such a dominating performance as they felt the pressure of being rated as one of the favourites in the Olympiad.

"When the team was drafted we knew that we are one of the favourites. Everybody around us kept telling us the same but I never thought of it. As we got closer to the event we started to realise there is that pressure which has started to build.

"But what took the pressure is when we started to play we won first game 4-0, second game 4-0," he said.

"This was my fourth Olympiad in person and I played two online. Winning gold in Chess Olympiad is a dream-com-true moment for any chess player."

Gujrathi missed playing at the Summer Olympics and hoped chess is included in the quadrennial sporting extravaganza someday.

"I was watching the Paris Olympics two months ago and was rooting for our players. When we were winning medals, I thought I want to do this as well."

"That (chess not in Summer Games) breaks heart to see because everytime I saw the Games I used to feel we would have returned with a gold," he said.

He now just wants to meet his family and celebrate the success with them.

"I want to celebrate and meet my family, without them I would have not been here. I want to celebrate with them," said the player, whose parents as well as sister are doctors.