11 Best Indian Chess Books for Every Chess Fan

Blurb:

Chess and strategic thinking go hand in hand, and who better than the first Asian chess grandmaster to teach you both? With one of the most illustrious chess careers of all time, Anand has reached the highest levels and won tournaments across every format. This inspiring memoir chronicles his remarkable journey as a player, a mentor, and an ambassador of the game. The book also shows the essential tactics that would be handy for any chess player (or even non-chess players) and how you can fight against risks and uncertainties in a constantly evolving world. When looking for Indian chess books, Mind Master has got to be your first pick!

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Blurb:

Vinita is invited to New York to handle her estranged father’s company, AveoGen. But as she goes through his documents, she finds clues to his perpetual obsession: to find the origins of chess and its creator’s identity. Soon, she’s deep amidst a mystery involving her father’s many enemies while struggling with her own dilemmas. The story switches back and forth between the present time and AD 455, when one of the greatest warriors, Harshavardhan, created the game in captivity to prepare for a war that shall change everything. One of the very rare Indian chess books with historical fiction themes, Checkmate certainly deserves all your attention.

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Blurb:

With 15 stories that are as diverse in themes as the diversity of authors writing them, from Syed Abdul Malik and Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia to Indira Goswami and Harekrishna Deka, A Game of Chess is a unique collection of Assamese stories ideal for every reader, chess lover or not. When searching for the best Indian chess books, you must read A Game of Chess, with the titular story interlapping a player’s thoughts for their opponent with their thoughts of the game. It’s an eclectic collection of stories with an array of themes and ideas that will undoubtedly make you think.

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A story depicting the harms of decadent feudalism, Shatranj Ke Khiladi (tr.: The Chess Players) is the story of two men in Wajid Ali Shah’ Lucknow, Mirza Sajjad Ali and Mir Roshan Ali, too deep into a game of chess to notice the world around them. So deep into their games, they are that they ignore their duties toward their king, their families, and the society around them. In a typical Premchand fashion, the story takes satirical jibes on society and also somewhat reflects the distanced relationship between the haves and have-nots. A must-read among Indian chess books, Shatranj Ke Khiladi, was also adapted into a brilliant Satyajit Ray movie that deserves a watch.

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One of the most fascinating Indian chess books you’ll ever read, this is the story of Sultan Khan, a servant from a  Punjabi village who went on to become the British Empire champion. As Daniel King shows in this fascinating book, his unorthodox style helped him defeat the leading European chess players in one tournament after another. And yet, after his period of fame between 1929-1933, he went back to obscurity after returning to his home country. For the first time, his full story is compiled in one place, with hitherto unknown facts and games.

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Originally written by Pandit Trivengadacharya in 1800 CE as Vilasmanimanjiri, one of the very few classic Indian chess books, Jewels of Chess is brought to the modern generation by Aniruddha Deshpande, who translated and edited it. First published on the orders of Bajirao Peshwa II, the book is perfect for chess players of all levels, beginning from a simple 1-move mate and moving to advanced levels gradually. Interestingly, it includes the concept of pawn mate as the most prestigious winning method and, despite being written over two centuries ago, still holds value today.

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Blurb:

The origins of chess are multi-threaded and complex, but a prominent theory is that it evolved from dice play, which is mentioned in ancient Indian texts like the Rigveda. The book traces how many concepts of ancient Indian society are reflected in the game of chess, like the idea of the king being the inviolable and divine entity or the concept of righteous war. Through several events and concepts, the book concludes that the two-handed modern chess is a predecessor of the four-handed chess play (or chaturanga), as believed by many historians. For lovers of historical Indian chess books, Bhatta’s book offers much to explore!

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Another book for history lovers, part 1 of Window to Ancient India, looks at the various games and martial arts in ancient India through their mentions in religious texts and historical chronicles. Chaturanga was one of the earliest war games and is often considered the precursor of modern chess, along with various other derived chess games, like circular chess, decimal chess, and so on. Unlike our other picks in this Indian chess books collection, Joglekar’s book also depicts combat arts and other games like Pachisi and Ashtapada and how they influenced new variations and art forms.

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A World Chess Federation trainer and Chess Olympian, NR Anil Kumar shares his love for chess with everyone through this book. Chess: Padikkam Kalikkam Jayikkam (tr.: Chess: Learn, Play and Win) shows us how to enjoy chess as entertainment while playing it using scientific principles. Chess is one of the best forms of intellectual entertainment, helping you build memory, pattern recognition, concentration, and the ability to overcome challenges and make sudden decisions. This is one of the best Indian chess books for those learning the game or those who know only the moves but not the scientific principles.

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Who better than a chess master to teach you the nuances of how people think? The Art of Thinking by Atanu Lahiri teaches you various thinking techniques simplistically and practically. Without any theoretical jargon, it helps improve your mental performance. Deriving from years of his chess career, he covers the different facets of thinking: logical, critical, visual, and emotional. When searching for Indian chess books that help improve your mental performance, The Art of Thinking would be a great choice.

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Want Indian chess books to teach your kids the game in a fun way? ChessPa in Chess Adventure Park would be the ideal pick. The book has a fun Grandpa character, ChessPa, a chess lover. Delightfully illustrated, the book can be introduced to kids as young as 1-year-old. There are poem stories to read to kids and illustrations to show them. The game has something for everyone: a 2-4 year-old can learn the different pieces and their movements, a 5+ year old kid can learn the rules, and so on. It’s the perfect starter kit for your kids to have fun while learning!

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