Chess Then vs Now: How the Game Changed and Why More People Are Playing

Chess is having a moment that nobody quite predicted — enrolments at coaching academies across Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi have surged, online platforms have pulled in millions of new players, and the average age of a tournament participant keeps dropping. The game looks similar on the surface: same 64 squares, same 32 pieces. But the way people learn it, play it, and think about it has shifted considerably over the last decade. Here's what's actually changed, and why it matters if you're thinking about starting.

Origins

The game that became chess took shape in Gupta-era northern India, roughly the 6th century, as a war-simulation called chaturanga — four divisions of an army mapped onto a board. It moved westward through Persia, became shatranj, and eventually reached medieval Europe, where the pieces were redesigned to reflect feudal courts: bishops replaced elephants, queens replaced counsellors. The rules stabilised into something recognisable by the 15th century, and organised tournament play began in earnest through the 19th. That's the compressed version. What's more relevant for someone in 2026 is what happened after that — and especially what happened after 2020.

How it Works

The mechanics haven't changed, but the way people engage with those mechanics has changed completely.

A standard game is two players, one board, 16 pieces each. White moves first. You're trying to trap your opponent's king — not capture it, just corner it so no safe move exists. That's checkmate. Each piece type has its own movement rules, and most of the game is really about controlling space, anticipating threats two or three moves ahead, and managing piece activity over time.

What's different now is how players build that understanding. Through most of the 20th century, you learned from books or from stronger players at a club. Now, beginners typically open a free app on day one, play against a bot calibrated to their level, and get instant move analysis. Platforms like these give you a puzzle-of-the-day format that drills tactics in short sessions — ten minutes before school is enough to build pattern recognition over weeks. That kind of low-friction entry didn't exist fifteen years ago.

Coaching has also changed shape. In-person academies in Bengaluru's JP Nagar or Mumbai's Goregaon now typically pair face-to-face sessions with homework assigned via digital tools. Coaches share annotated games through apps; students review at home. The classroom and the practice board are no longer the same place or the same time. For kids especially, this hybrid rhythm tends to work — the app keeps them engaged between sessions, the coach corrects the habits the app can't catch.

Major Forms and Types

Most beginners encounter standard chess first: classical time controls, full games, the format that applies to rated tournaments. But the game has splintered into formats worth knowing about.

Rapid and Blitz — shorter time controls, typically 10–25 minutes per player for rapid, and under 5 minutes for blitz. These are what most casual players prefer now. They're also what most youth tournaments use because they fit inside a school day without running long.

Online Chess — not a different game, but a different environment. No physical clock, no across-the-board reading of your opponent, but much easier access. Huge number of games available at any level, any time.

Puzzle Training — technically not a game format, but it's become its own practice mode. You're given a board position and one correct sequence to find. Academies now structure beginner programmes almost entirely around puzzles in the first few months, before introducing full games. The logic: pattern recognition is the engine of chess skill, and puzzles isolate it cleanly.

Correspondence Chess — slower, asynchronous, one move per day or per week. It's played less now than it was, but serious adult learners sometimes use it to study positions carefully without time pressure.

At the competitive end, classical formats with long time controls remain the standard for FIDE-rated events. Youth players in cities like Chennai, Pune, and Hyderabad are increasingly working toward ratings from a young age, with structured pathways through school tournaments to state and national levels.

Where Chess Sits in 2026

The pandemic years brought a wave of new players online that didn't fully recede when restrictions lifted. A meaningful chunk of those players — particularly teenagers and young adults — followed up with in-person coaching. That's visible in the number of chess academies that opened or expanded between 2022 and 2025 in metro and tier-2 cities alike.

A few patterns stand out now. First, chess is being taken seriously as a school-age activity alongside music and swimming — parents are enrolling children as young as five or six, not waiting for a prodigy signal. Second, coaching has professionalised noticeably. Academies are structured with belt-equivalent rating milestones, termly syllabi, and progress reports. That organisation wasn't standard a decade ago.

Third, the gender split at junior levels is narrowing. Girls' participation in school-level tournaments has grown, partly because the environment is less intimidating than it used to be — online learning removed some of the clubhouse atmosphere of early chess culture.

Cost-wise, group coaching classes in metro cities typically run between ₹1,500 and ₹4,000 per month depending on session frequency and format. Private coaching with a rated player costs more, often ₹500–₹1,200 per hour. Online-only coaching programmes, which some academies now offer, sit at the lower end of that range.

For a deeper look at what chess actually does for concentration, problem-solving, and academic focus, the companion piece Benefits of Chess: Why It Helps and What to Expect covers that ground specifically.

How to Begin

The most practical starting point depends on age and goal. For children under ten, a structured group class is almost always better than solo app-based learning — the social element keeps motivation up, and a coach can catch posture and board habits early. For adults or older teenagers, a few weeks of self-directed online play before joining a class can make the first sessions less overwhelming.

When choosing an academy, look for: a syllabus (not just free play each session), coaches with tournament experience or FIDE ratings, and some system for tracking progress. Many academies offer a trial class — take it.

Here are some options across cities worth looking into:

• Checkmate Chess Academy — Goregaon & Malad, Mumbai. A structured academy covering both beginner and competitive tracks, well-placed for families in the western suburbs.
• V Education Point (VEP) IP Extension — East Delhi. A multi-subject coaching centre in IP Extension that includes chess as part of its programme offering.
• Chess Saga — South Bengaluru. An established chess-focused academy serving learners across age groups in South Bengaluru.
• Chess Visionaries — Thane West, Thane. A dedicated chess academy serving the Thane West catchment with classes for beginners through competitive players.

If you're in Mumbai and want to browse more options, Chess in Mumbai has a fuller list. For Delhi-based learners, Chess in Delhi is a good place to start.

Find Chess classes near you — browse academies by city, zone, and format across the Lyfskills directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age should a child start learning chess?

Most coaches are comfortable starting children from age five or six — though at that age, the focus is on piece names, basic movement, and enjoying the game rather than strategy. Formal tactics and tournament preparation typically begin around seven or eight. Starting early isn't a requirement; plenty of players pick it up in their teens and go on to compete seriously.

How long does it take to get reasonably good at chess?

That depends on what "good" means to you. Most children in regular coaching — two to three sessions per week — develop solid foundational skills within six to twelve months. Reaching a competitive club level takes longer, usually two to three years of consistent play and study. Improvement isn't linear; there are plateaus, and that's normal.

Is online chess coaching as effective as in-person coaching?

For older learners — say, twelve and above — online coaching works well, especially when the coach is sharing annotated positions and assigning structured puzzle sets between sessions. For younger children, in-person is generally more effective because the coach can read engagement, adjust pacing, and build habit in real time. Many academies now offer hybrid formats that combine both.

Do I need to buy a chess set to start, or can my child learn using only apps?

You don't need a set immediately, but having one at home accelerates learning. Physical play builds a different kind of spatial awareness than a screen does — pieces have weight and dimension, and moving them is slower and more deliberate. A basic wooden set costs ₹300–₹800 and lasts years. Most academies provide sets during class; home practice is where a personal set makes a difference.

How do chess ratings work, and when should my child start competing?

Chess ratings (including FIDE ratings internationally and CRI ratings at the national level) are calculated based on results against rated opponents. A win against a stronger player adds more points than a win against a weaker one. Most coaches recommend entering local school or district tournaments after six to twelve months of coaching — the competitive experience teaches things that practice alone doesn't, and the stakes are low enough that early losses aren't discouraging.