From seed #126 to 6th: My experience at the biggest Category B chess championship in Indian chess history.
I played in the KIIT International Grandmasters Chess Championship 2026 (Category B) from 23rd–26th May and finished 6th out of around 700 players. My starting seed was 126.
Looking back, this result feels surreal because before the tournament my goal wasn't to win prizes or finish near the top. I just didn't want to embarrass myself.
Although I had prepared, I couldn't devote as much time as I wanted because I'm also pursuing MBBS and giving chess coaching. I hadn't played a classical tournament in six years, nor did I get to play any warm-up tournaments beforehand, so I genuinely didn't know what to expect.
The first four rounds reflected exactly that. I wasn't playing my chess. I was constantly second-guessing myself, trying too hard not to make mistakes, and as a result I kept getting into time trouble.
Then came my first loss in Round 4. It was a tough game, but strangely it became the turning point of my tournament.
I realized I wasn't enjoying chess anymore—I was just playing under pressure, trying to prove something. After that game I made a simple decision: whatever happens from here, I'll just play because I love the game. If I lose every remaining game, so be it.
That one mindset shift changed everything.
I stopped second-guessing myself so much. I still spent time when the position demanded it, but I trusted my instincts and played in my own style. Honestly, I was happier with the quality of my games after Round 4 than I was with the result itself. Even if I had lost those games, I think I would have been satisfied with how I played.
Ironically, that's when my best results came.
Of course, I'm human. In the final round I was on Board 2, and suddenly all the permutations started running through my head: If I win, I could finish 2nd. If I lose, I might fall out of the top 10. That definitely affected me, and I accepted an early draw. Most of the top boards also ended in draws, and I eventually finished 6th on tiebreaks.
This tournament reminded me of something I'll probably carry into every future event: my best chess comes when I'm focused on the board instead of the outcome.
Sometimes, letting go of the result is exactly what allows you to achieve one.