A GM dream and the art of handling losses: Pune’s Akshay Borgaonkar reflects on Commonwealth chess meet win

Borgaonkar scored an unbeaten eight out of nine to win the gold medal in the Under-16 Classical section and bagged the bronze in the higher Under-18 Blitz category, where he again scored eight out of nine.

In a conversation with The Indian Express, Borgaonkar recalled a crucial game in the third round against Sri Lanka’s Induwara Thisarindu, whose strong performance throughout the event required him to stay at the top of his game, even though he entered the tournament as the top seed. “I think that was the most important game for me in the tournament,” Borgaonkar said. He later sealed the title in the final round against Singapore’s Alexander, winning with the white pieces in a Sicilian defence.

Speaking about his aspirations, Borgaonkar said, “My goal is definitely to achieve the Grand Master title, as soon as possible,” he said.

Borgaonkar, who started playing chess at the age of six, has already built a strong résumé on the domestic and international circuit. One of his early breakthroughs came when he won the Maharashtra State Senior Championship at 13, an open event without age restrictions. He later won the Asian Championship in Sri Lanka, marking his first foreign tournament victory.

Earlier this year, in March, he secured his International Master title at an event in Budapest, where he also scored his first Grandmaster norm. “My IM title is something that I hold very close to my heart. I went into that tournament with zero expectations, considering it was two weeks after my 10^th board exams. It was a dream come true for me. Not only did I win the IM title, but I also scored my first GM norm. I had always hoped to win that title before getting my results and completing school, so I was really happy when I achieved that,” he recalled.

Borgaonkar credited chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand as his primary inspiration, along with younger Indian chess stars such as D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin, whose “fresh and fighting approach” he hopes to emulate.

“I think Vishy Anand is the inspiration for every chess player in this country, and I am no different. I would probably like to be at the level of some of these top guys like Gukesh and Pragg and hopefully play against them in some tournament, but yeah, right now I just enjoy playing against any good player, any stronger player, anyone I can learn from,” he said.

The Pune-based player trains under Grandmaster Swayam and credits his parents, coach and academy for their unwavering support. He said he places a lot of importance on striking a balance between his academics and chess. “I would say that to all the young chess players in the country. You should keep your academics as a part of your journey and not give one up in the pursuit of the other, something I did not do. I took my studies very seriously, scoring 98 per cent in my boards. I believe that chess and academics complement each other really well, hence I would suggest everyone strike a balance between both at least early on in their career,” he added.

Borgaonkar also spoke about the importance of dealing with setbacks, especially for young players hoping to make a career in chess. He stressed that learning to handle losses was as important as celebrating wins, and that staying “in love with the game” would help players bounce back. “One of the main things chess teaches you is how to come back after a loss, and that is very important,” he said.

Sanika Deshpande is an intern with The Indian Express.

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