Manuel Ocantos’ Post

Whoever thought chess was a team sport! The FIDE Chess Olympiad 2024 that India has dominated has been absolutely riveting and the teams - Open and Women have smashed it out of the park! My new found interest in the game, thanks to my son's interest, kept me glued to the goings on. What struck me most was how similar the working of this chess team has been to high performing teams which we see in workplaces - all highly capable individuals, chasing individual excellence but equally committed to team goals. And more interesting was the mix of seniors like Vidit & Harikrishna and the pulsating energy of young players like Gukesh and Arjun. Here are some standout quotes from Vidit Gujarathi's post win interview with ChessBase which capture the way this team has come together and delivered "𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦. 𝑊𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙... 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑢𝑛, 𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚. 𝑆𝑜, 𝐼 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑠... 𝑖𝑡 𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑." "𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦'𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟... 𝐼'𝑚 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼'𝑚 𝑑𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙." "𝐴𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑠, 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑎 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑘𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠... 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑'𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟𝑠. 𝑁𝑜𝑤 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑡." "𝑇𝑜𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒... 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡'𝑠 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑝 𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑡. 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼 𝑤𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑦, 𝑖𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑥, 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒." Now waiting eagerly for the World Chess Championship between Gukesh and Ding Liren. Fingers crossed for that! https://lnkd.in/g8ZC3dGK #chess #FIDEChessOlympiad #teams

Unstoppable: How Team India Conquered 193 Nations in Chess with Time-Bending Performance!" What happens when the brilliance of an entire nation takes on 193 countries in the world's most strategic game? You witness time travel in action as Team India in chess rewrites history! In an 11-round tournament, it’s survival of the fittest. The higher you rise, the stronger your opponents. You start against lower-seeded teams in the early rounds, but soon, you're up against the world's best. Round after round, Team India conquered every challenge, as the numbers dropped: Round 1: 190 teams fall to 95. Round 2: 95 becomes 43. Round 3: 40 whittles down to 21. And by Round 6, the toughest competition stood in their path. Yet, India didn’t just rise—they dominated, securing 21 out of 22 points. Out of 44 games played, they lost only ONE match! At one point, the question wasn’t who could beat them, but how could anyone—unless you assembled a team from another planet or combined players from every other nation. Remember when Michael Phelps seemed to defy time with his eight Olympic gold medals in 2008? This was India’s Phelps moment in chess, winning two team gold and four individual gold medals. A historic feat, a statement to the world—we’ve arrived, and the chess world may never be the same again. What is Team India's motivating factor? After winning bronze in 2022, they were not too happy as they missed gold by just one point. The slogan for the 2024 Olympiad was ' We will go hungry for gold to Hungary.' Watch 30 minutes of Gukesh's interview (gold medalist of the first board, which is the most challenging position for the team). Link: https://lnkd.in/dqnJiqtS After watching the interview, I promise you will not be the same person but wholly transformed and inspired. Can you believe one person who played ten Olympiads (20 Years) to convert dreams into reality? The player gave importance to playing team events rather than pursuing personal excellence. I will share a story of patience soon. Bravo, Team India! #geniusgrowth #careertransformation

As D. Gukesh makes history by becoming the youngest-ever world champion, read this profile of the 18-year-old chess prodigy by Prabhakar Tamilarasu

Praggnanandhaa did have a fantastic showing at the 2024 Norway Chess tournament. He defeated the world number 1, Magnus Carlsen, for the first time in a classical "over the board" match [2]. Praggnanandhaa's pure talent 🔥 To achieve this feat, Praggnanandhaa likely needed a strong mental game. 🔺Here are some possible factors that contributed to his success: 🔸Self-belief: Confidence in his own abilities to compete against the best in the world was crucial. 🔸Focus: Maintaining concentration throughout the game and not getting intimidated by Carlsen's reputation. 🔸Resilience: The ability to bounce back from any mistakes or setbacks during the match. 🔸Adaptability: Willingness to adjust his strategy based on how Carlsen was playing. 🔸Aggressive spirit: Taking calculated risks and playing for the win against a higher-ranked opponent. Praggnanandhaa's accomplishment at the Norway Chess is sure to be a springboard for even greater things in his chess career. #Praggnanandhaa #ChessChampion #NorwayChess2024 #GiantSlayer #UpsetVictory #DefeatsCarlsen #MentalFortitude

Did India just redefine chess greatness with a double gold at the Chess Olympiad 2024? [ Chess, India, Chess Olympiad 2024, Sports, News, Sports News ] #Chess #IndianChess #IndiaChess #ChessOlympiad #ChessOlympiad2024 #Sports #SportsNews

14 Things We Learned — 2024 Chess Olympiad Chess Event Coverage India is the future of chess and the future is now. That's one summary of the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad, which saw GM Gukesh Dommaraju, GM Arjun Erigaisi, IM Divya Deshmukh, and IM Vantika Agrawal claim team and individual gold as India dominated the event. Let's take a look at some of the things we've learned. 1.India Win It All—The Disciples Of Vishy Have Taken Over. 2.he Age Of European Dominance Has Passed 3.Gukesh vs. Ding Threatens To Be A Walkover. 4.Arjun, Now World Number-3, Can’t Stop Climbing. 5.U.S. And Uzbekistan Struggled But Still Took Medals 6.The Dark Horses Couldn’t Break Onto The Podium. 7.The Turkish Kids Are The Real Deal 8.ndia’s Women’s Team Avoided A Repeat Of Chennai 9.Kazakhstan Are Here To Stay 10.The U.S. Women’s Team Future Is Bright With Yip And Lee. 11.Spain Show It’s Not All About Youth 12.The Anti-Cheating Delay Is A Spoiler. 13.Off-The-Board Drama Didn’t Overshadow The Chess 14.We’ve Got Two Years To Wait Until Tashkent 2026 #chess2024 #chessolympiad #india

The upcoming World Chess Championship in Singapore, sponsored by Google marks a significant milestone in bringing chess to a wider global audience. This year’s final is particularly exciting, with two top players, Ding Liren from China and Gukesh D from India, battling for the coveted title. With over 35% of the world’s population represented by these two chess-loving nations, this all-Asia final is an extraordinary moment in chess history. Chess, while globally admired, still has immense untapped commercial potential. This championship offers a unique opportunity to showcase the sport’s growing appeal. The International Chess Federation (FIDE), celebrating its 100th year, is increasingly adapting to modern strategies for expanding chess’s reach. Organizations like World Chess are contributing to this growth by hosting events such as The Algorand Foundation online chess cup, and through their ongoing partnership with FIDE, which uses chess sets supplied by the World Chess shop. As chess continues to make strides in the global sports arena, companies would do well to take notice of the opportunities for collaboration, much like Google has. Good luck to both players – it promises to be an unforgettable match!

-- Ding: I think I played my best tournament of the year, I could be better, but considering yesterday’s lucky survival, it’s a fair result to lose. I have no regrets, I will continue to play and I hope I can show my strengths (again). -- Gukesh: Becoming the world champion doesn’t mean that I’m the best player in the world. Ranking-wise, above him, there is Magnus Carlsen (who has chosen not to play in classical chess world championship), as Gukesh acknowledges. There are also three others ranked higher than the new world champion. He is across what is ahead of him! Amazing maturity, even magnanimity, from Ding and Gukesh at the end of the World Chess Championship in Singapore last night after 14 rounds of gruelling, stressful play. -- I, however, thought that the warmth in the words above was not reflected across the board during the games. -- I did not see much eye-to-eye contact between the two players even while shaking hands at the start and finish of each of the games. Face-to-face exchange of smiles was rare, too. -- While I found that to be verging on cold behaviour, I can fully empathise with it, given the pressure they must have been under, requiring them to have 100% focus on the board. With that weight off their shoulders, they were both able to relax and take an objective look at the outcome. If only country leaders can show such maturity and be accommodating without any show of one-upmanship, the world will be a far better place than the turmoil-ridden one we are in! #dinggukesh #FIDE

We are witnessing a GOAT moment for Indian Chess! India has shattered records by dominating the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024 with Gold in both the Open and Women's Chess Olympiad. This olympiad was a series of Crazy matches such as Gukesh vs Wei Yi, and Fabiano Caruana. For the past 4 months, instead of scrolling through my Insta feed at night, I switched that time to playing chess. I can see a noticeable change in my thinking, constantly looking out for possibilities. What I love most is that chess, much like life, teaches you to make the best move with your current resources and position. No point cribbing, just strategize and act. Indian chess is thriving! Excited for Gukesh Vs Ding Liren Keep making those winning moves. #IndianChess #ChessOlympiad2024 #GOATMoment #GoldenEra #ChessChampions #GameOfChess #MindsetMatters #StrategicThinking #InnovateAndOptimize #Motivation

8 Lessons from Vaishali R Vaishali R, an Indian chess grandmaster, was born in Chennai in 2001. She began her chess journey at the tender age of 7. Her skills developed rapidly, earning her the title of grandmaster at a young age. Vaishali is renowned for her strategic approach to the game and her ability to find creative solutions in complex situations. Lessons from Vaishali R 1. Finding the Strongest Move in Critical Moments - Application: In a match against Harika Dronavalli at the Indian Championships 2018, Vaishali demonstrated her ability to identify pivotal moves, which allowed her to dominate the game at critical moments. 2. Defending in Uncomfortable Positions - Application: During the Gibraltar Tournament in 2020, Vaishali successfully defended a difficult position against Elisabeth Paehtz, showcasing her resilience and defensive skills under pressure. 3. Utilizing Time Advantage - Application: In her game against Dinara Saduakassova at the World Rapid 2019, Vaishali leveraged her superior time management to exert pressure and ultimately win the game. 4. Transitioning from Defense to Counterattack - Application: Against Nino Batsiashvili at the Chess Olympiad 2018, Vaishali demonstrated how to effectively switch from defending to launching an aggressive counterattack, changing the course of the game. 5. Employing Unorthodox Openings - Application: At the Asian Continental 2017, Vaishali surprised her opponent by using a rare opening, which helped her gain an early advantage and secure a victory. 6. Focusing on Positional Play - Application: During the Biel Tournament in 2019, Vaishali utilized her deep understanding of positional play to outmaneuver stronger opponents by controlling the center of the board and space. 7. Respecting Opponents but Exploiting Their Weaknesses - Application: In a match against Ju Wenjun at the Women's World Championships 2020, Vaishali showed how respect for an opponent's skills can coincide with exploiting their mistakes. 8. Using Endgames to Win Even Positions - Application: In her encounter with Alina Kashlinskaya at the European Club Cup 2019, Vaishali displayed mastery in endgame play, gaining an advantage and converting it into a win. An Unusual but True Anecdote about Vaishali An interesting story about Vaishali occurred during a local tournament in India, where her opponent unexpectedly offered a draw in a clearly losing position. Despite her young age and less experience, Vaishali declined with a smile, saying, "Show me how you plan to escape this checkmate." Her opponent, taken aback by her confidence and determination, quickly made a mistake that allowed Vaishali to swiftly conclude the game. This incident not only speaks to her unwavering determination but also her ability to use the psychological aspect of the game against more experienced opponents.