How coach Adhiban went from fast to feast at Global Chess League

File Image: Stavroula Tsolakidou handed her best-player trophy to coach B. Adhiban after crediting him for his role in her preparation. | Photo Credit: VELANKANNI RAJ B

One of the most memorable moments of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, which concluded in Bengaluru on Sunday, came after the match between Ganges Grandmasters and Cheq Mumba Masters. The Grandmasters won the match, the best player of which was Stavroula Tsolakidou.

The Greek player, however, handed over the trophy to the Grandmasters’ coach, B. Adhiban, making his debut in such a role. She said he deserved it more.

Adhiban graciously accepted the trophy from her on the stage. He revealed he had indeed helped Tsolakidou with her preparation and suggested the openings for her various opponents.

“She is an excellent student and has excellent memory,” Adhiban told Sportstar. “I was happy to work with her and see that we were getting the results right through the GCL.”

Tsolakidou went on to win the Player-of-the-Tournament award. She, in fact, was a revelation.

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“People, including some of our teammates, did not expect her to do so well,” said Adhiban, who was part of the bronze-medal-winning Indian teams at the Olympiad in 2014 and 2022. “Our other female player, Polina Shuvalova, was also brilliant, but I wasn’t surprised by her, as she is very good in these fast time controls.”

He feels the Grandmasters team was just perfect, though there was uncertainty going into the auction. A new management had taken over, and he joined only shortly before the auction.

“I was glad that we could get Levon Aronian and Ian Nepomniachtchi as our two main players,” said the Chennai-based Grandmaster. “Leinier Dominguez Perez and Leon Mendonca also delivered for us.”

Adhiban contributed in another way. After the early disappointments, he decided to fast, skipping breakfast and lunch, and to have dinner only if his team won. The players weren’t aware of that.

But they played so well that Adhiban could have his dinner, after all.