The Nagaland Chess Association (NCA), under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), will be organizing Nagaland’s first-ever Grandmaster Chess Coaching Camp from March 27 to 29 at the Nagaland Olympic Association Hall, Kohima.
The initiative aims to equip aspiring chess players with advanced knowledge, strategies, and techniques under the mentorship of Grandmaster (GM) Tejas Bakre, a FIDE Senior Trainer and one of India’s top chess players.
Speaking at the inaugural function, NCA honorary secretary Vekukho Soho expressed optimism that the camp would lay a strong foundation for Naga chess players.
He acknowledged Nagaland’s lagging presence in the national chess scene and underscored the association’s commitment to fostering the growth of the sport in the state. Soho highlighted the success of the Senior National Seminar held in November 2024, where 17 arbiters from Nagaland qualified-a significant leap considering that the state had only one qualified arbiter before that.
Soho emphasized that the camp is part of a broader initiative to promote chess across Nagaland. He also announced that NCA will be hosting the first-ever Nagaland Open FIDE Rating Rapid Chess Tournament on April 24 and 25, 2025, which is expected to attract over 200 participants from across the country. Further, the North East FIDE Rating Chess Championship is slated to be hosted by NCA in 2026, along with other major chess events in the future.
Grandmaster Tejas Bakre, while addressing the participants, congratulated NCA for organizing such a significant event.
Reflecting on his 34-year journey in chess, which began at the age of 10, Bakre noted that he became a grandmaster during a period when chess events in India were scarce. He highlighted that the current scenario is vastly different, with India now hosting over 10 major chess events annually. Bakre also described 2024 as a “golden year for Indian chess,” marked by India’s success in securing all the gold medals at the Chess Olympiad.
Encouraging young players to take part in such events, Bakre expressed confidence that with increased exposure and training, Nagaland could eventually produce strong chess players.
The three-day camp, he said, would provide participants with insights into advanced methods, tactics, and calculations, while also introducing them to software and analytical tools used by top-level players.
The inaugural function was chaired by women coordinator, NCA, Khrienuo Rupreo, while the opening prayer was pronounced by Treasurer, NCA, Sede Nagi.