India's second GM Dibyendu Barua in a media interaction on the sidelines of the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Arpora recently.
PANAJI
In Goa, for the final of the FIDE World Cup 2025 that concluded recently, India’s second GM Dibyendu Barua remarked that organizing the event in the country was a fantastic achievement.
“It is a big milestone for Indian chess. In this World Cup, we saw more than 200 players participate in a knockout format which is very difficult to play. It is easy to criticise. But when players are playing, they have to keep their nerves cool and stay focussed. Many times, top players made blunders. Even in the first tiebreak game in the final, Javokhir Sindarov with white had a chance to win against Wei Yi, but he could not spot that. I definitely feel our chess fraternity enjoyed and learned a lot of things from the tournament, including our upcoming players,” the three-time Indian Chess Champion stated in a media interaction.
Barua felt that All India Chess Federation (AICF) could consider a bid for the next World Championship weighing on the scenario of the finalists. “If both players are from India, then definitely the country will have the right to bid for the World Championship match. But if only one is from India (reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh) and the other is not from India, then definitely it will be at a neutral place like it happened last time. We are hoping and praying that two Indians play in the final and that is our dream,” the AICF vice president asserted. It has to be noted that while D Gukesh would play as the defending champion, his challenger could be R Praggnanandhaa. But for that to happen, the latter has to confirm his qualification for the Candidates, and win the tournament as well.
Barua opined that with time, a lot of change has undergone in the chess ecosystem benefitting players. “In our time, there were no computers, no coaching and not much tournaments. There were a lot of difficulties. As time went on, technology came. Now chess players have it easy, and learn so much from computer software. Our generation was original. Nowadays, the youngsters go through the opening theory for 15-20 moves, and the moment the opening is over, the game has ended. It happens many times. Now AICF is organizing and supporting tournaments, and at the same time providing financial support to upcoming players right from the U-7 level,” the Arjuna awardee pointed out.
The highly respected Indian GM felt that the classical format is the real deal. “I always prefer the classical game because that is where you have time, you can think, make a plan and play without any flaw. But in shorter time controls, like in the tiebreak finals in the World Cup, the two rapid games were equal but the players started making mistakes. With less time, you get into time pressure and make a lot of mistakes. It is just like in cricket where you have Test matches, 50 over format and T20s. So, the quality of the game is always there in a classical game. I always tell youngsters to play more classical tournaments. In shorter time controls, a player can win by luck, when the other player can make a silly mistake,” Barua said.
