Rani Hamid (Photo Credit: Special Arrangement) New Delhi: Balaji Sudarshan is 2012-chess miracles from Tamil Nadu, which was against the 80-year-old Bangladesh legend Rani Hamid in the 6th round of the Dilli International Open Chess Tournament 2025.Hamid, when he went into the game, suffered three losses, all against opponents with a lower rating in the first five rounds, and perhaps played a role in the International Master (WIM), who arrived in the playing hall five minutes late at the planned beginning of 16:00.Hamid carried its well -known orange juice in a plastic bottle, a habit she watched throughout the tournament, and first she quietly saved her stuff, including bags and mobile phone, at a volunteer table.
Vote
In your opinion, what aspect of chess is the most important thing for success?
Deposit table (photo credit: special arrangement)
Go beyond the border with our YouTube channel. Subscribe!With permanent eyes and the absolute peace of experience, she entered the playing hall, a bottle in his hand, determined to change the course of her campaign. But little knew that the thirteen -year area had enough answers to her questions on 64 squares.In the next hour and a half, Hamid, the first Bangladesh to win the title WIM, was back at the volunteer table and gathered her belongings. It was accompanied by a young Sudarshan.Hamid noticed curious views from volunteers, and was born like Sayeda Jasimunnessa Khatun, a warm smile and said, “He played really well. I want to analyze the games with him.”Outside the playing hall, three chess tables were set up. It was here that Octogenarian Legend and teenage talent sat down, among them, as friends, spoke with the language of the game.
Rani Hamid analyzing the game with Young Balaji Sudarshan (Photo Credit: Special Arrangement)
For another 45 minutes, they discussed movements and ideas, their ages overwhelmed by their shared love for chess. As Hamid herself said, “I’m not trying to learn or show to anyone. I play for joy, I enjoy it. I believe we should do anything that brings us happiness, don’t you think?” (laughs)This is not Hamid’s first visit to Delhi for Chess. In fact, its connection with capital has been reaching for almost five decades. “I first came here for the tournament when Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was President of India,” she recalled with reference to the period between 1974 and 1977.
Early years Viswanathan Anand
Among the memories of her mind from the early tournaments is one including a young Viswanathan Anand, long before he became the name of the household.“Anand, at that time, would usually not spend more than five minutes to anyone. He tried to move quickly, stood up and walked around while your clock ran. But against me, didn’t stand up from my chair for half an hour. Can you believe it?“His mother stimulated nervously. I said to her,” Don’t worry, I took a bad step. Your son is winning now. “Actually, I started a really good attack, but sacrificed my hanger, defended and promoted the pawn to the queen.
‘Mojar Khela daba’
Hamid’s journey to chess was never part of a big plan. In their lives, chess has evolved from family entertainment on the national heritage.He grew up in a sports -oriented family with a father who excelled in various games, including chess, and later married a supportive, sports loving military officer, and Rani was always surrounded by encouragement.While she modestly claims that she only focused on playing, her consistent success, the Bangladeshi National Championship won 20 times and the British Chess Championship three times, he turned her into inspiration.
Exclusive Award Arjuna Vantika Agrawal: “People still ask,” Chess is fine, but what are you doing? “
Her late husband Ma Hamid, deeply involved in the promotion of sports, made her write “Mojar Khela Daba”, a guide that became widely popular, especially in Calcutta.“Whenever I went to Calcutta for tournaments, coaches asked me to bring copies of the book because it helped them teach. I tried to write it in a style that was easy to follow, almost as a grammatical lesson. At the beginning it explained how to write movements, what to do, what to do, what to do,” she explained.“Actually, I was really lucky. The Bangladesh champion was my neighbor at that time; he was married to my classmate’s sister. Playing with him helped me to improve quickly … People say I was 80, but I started playing when I was 33.
India sisters Khadilkar
With the Bangladeshi chessyard of Federation, which joined Fide in 1979, her first major exhibition on the international scene came at the Asian Women’s Championship in Hyderabad. Hamid was not tested on such platforms.“We had hardly had any international exhibition before. I went to Hyderabad without expecting. Niaz Murshed, the first South Asian Grand Master, told my companion:“Then, female chess in India were led by Khadilkar sisters: Jayyshree, Vasanti and Rohini. Two of them have already become Wims, so he wanted the youngest to win the title … But when I went and won and won 6 rounds, I didn’t know what it was!
“If Bangladesh had chess tournaments, why should I come to India?”
Despite the individual flashes of brilliance, Hamid is honest about challenges that have held chess in his country, confession: “Bangladesh has not progressed in chess as India is because we do not have strong organizers.Also read: “I used to beat Indians at will”: What global chess stars in my 30, 50 and 80. They say about the dominance of IndiaHamid, the mother of one daughter and the three sons, smiles when he reminded himself of a previous victory that surprised Io. “Once I defeated the World Champion U18 and I also defeated world 3 at one point. However, this caused quite a stir.When she asked about future plans, she took her bottle and said, “I live in the future now!” (laughs)
