Chennai’s roaring love affair with the game of chess blossomed at the height of the Cold War in the 1970s, when it opened doors to the sprawling Russian Cultural Centre in the bustling Nungambakkam area.

It was in this vicinity that the city’s first chess club, named after Mikhail Tal, the Soviet-Latvian creative genius, took shape. Over time, it would turn into a hub that would churn out Grandmasters on an assembly line.

First Published: Apr 22 2024 | 7:09 PM IST