Checkmating Barriers: Chess as a Sport for All

When FM Darpan Inani sits at a chessboard, he sees no pieces, yet he ‘sees’ every move. He is currently the best blind player in India and battles against sighted grandmasters throughout the world. He even brought India a gold medal at the Para Asian Games in 2023. Unlike other sports, chess requires a keen and focused mind rather than a perfectly oiled machine as a body. As Helen Keller once said, “The chief handicap of the blind is not blindness, but the attitude of seeing people towards them.” Chess challenges this attitude every day.

Not many sports can be considered inclusive. The beauty of chess is seen in the diversity of the chess players; the pairing list is filled with names from different cultures, genders, ages and physical abilities. Numerous athletes with a range of disabilities have made it onto teams for competitions such as the World Chess Olympiad. The World Chess Federation (FIDE) is making constant efforts to equalise the playing field. FIDE is very dedicated to the inclusive future of chess. It hosts ParaChess tournaments just for players with disabilities, where they use accessible venues and accommodating regulations that further build community and encourage participation for players at various stages. Unfortunately, the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA), the organisation responsible for the disabled community in chess, receives very little media attention and even less funding. The minimal sponsorship makes it harder for players to reach their full potential. Wheelchair-bound players can’t commute by buses or trains and need costly modes of transport. Without proper financial support, the cost of competing discourages the players. But even with the challenges, chess continues to set the bar for inclusivity in sports very high.

Playing chess requires very minimal movement, hence, not much changes are required when keeping in mind inclusion. Players with weak hand mobility caused by illnesses like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy can move the pieces on their own. But they might prefer larger pieces for a better grip and magnetic boards for stability. For example, German GM Thomas Luther achieved the grandmaster title with abnormalities in his arms that were caused by dysmelia. With the use of chess's unique verbal notation system, volunteers can make moves on behalf of the player if necessary. Speech-to-text features have been incorporated into online chess platforms to help players during online games. Chess has a variety of time formats. Players with different needs can opt for tournaments with the time control that favours them. The classical format, the one that can make the game last for hours, is best suited for players who need more time to make their moves. While the faster formats like rapid and blitz are better for players who can’t play for long durations of time. WGM Valentina Gunina suffers from lupus, a condition that leads to joint discomfort and exhaustion. Playing for long hours over the board can be challenging for her; she thrives on shorter blitz games. She is now a two-time Women’s World Blitz Champion after her win in 2023. GM Thomas Luther and WGM Valentina Gunina prove that just a bit of adaptation can empower players to achieve excellence.

How do blind players ‘see’ the winning move if they can’t see at all? They make use of a tactile board to understand the position. On these boards, the black tiles are slightly heightened to make them easily distinguishable from the white tiles. The black pieces have a small bump on top for easy identification. And all pieces have pegs at the bottom that fit into the holes on the board to keep the pieces fixed to the board. Rules such as ‘touch to move’ aren’t enforced on them. In an otherwise silent game, blind players say their moves aloud so both players can accurately follow the game. During classical matches where writing the game is necessary, they fill their score sheet with the help of Braille. Don’t get confused between blind chess and blindfolded chess. Blind chess refers to blind players competing against each other, while blindfolded chess refers to sighted players playing a game without seeing the board, from memory. The International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) is affiliated with FIDE, which works towards making blind players actively participate in open and mainstream chess events. They prove that while eyesight sees the board, vision sees the game. 

Unlike most other competitive games, chess seems to offer players mental engagement, which is often lacking in other sports. Chess helps neurodivergent people with diagnoses such as autism and ADHD in many ways. For autistic players, it builds skills such as planning, being patient, and turn-taking. The game is calming and lessens social anxiety because the rules are rigid and the activity is orderly. This offers predictability. People who have ADHD benefit from the streamlining provided by chess; they learn to think and assess each move carefully. It is skilfully organised as a form of recreation that promotes foresight and patience. Students having particular learning challenges benefit from enhanced focus, enhanced memory, and greater self-assurance thanks to chess. Even though there isn't a neurodivergent player who has reached the top ranks yet, several autistic learning centres and ADHD programs claim that their students compete in local tournaments, utilising chess to develop their cognitive and self-confidence. Individuals who once couldn’t stay focused on one task can now sit for hours for a match. Chess is referred to as the genius man’s game, but in reality, it welcomes people with all kinds of minds and ways of thinking.

Chess has been around for centuries. In those years, numerous players have gone against societal norms on how a chess player should look and behave. More importantly, they’ve proved that it’s not how our bodies function but our mental prowess. Initiative, adaptation and support are the recipe to an inclusive chess world. Not everything needs brawn; sometimes it is just the brain.