Lyssenko8217;s camp in Kozhikode

KOCHI, APRIL 28: Time was when the All India Chess Federation did not have to bother about getting qualified chess coaches to come here. Under the Indo-Soviet sports protocol, they flew in regularly and the federation only had to organise it at the right place. The situation changed drastically with the breakup of the Soviet Union and for nearly 10 years since 1990, India did not have the services of these coaching stints.

The impasse seems to have ended now as the government has finally agreed to bear the expenses to invite chess coaches to India. Russian International Master Alexander Lyssenko will be in Kozhikode from April 29 to coach promising Indian juniors during a month-long camp organised by All India Chess Federation and the Sports Authority of India.

The 48-year-old Lyssenko, who is currently a coach in Ekaterinburg Sports School, will train 25 top-ranked junior and sub-junior Indian players at Tal Chess Academy in Kozhikode. Lyssenko8217;s main work is the book titled Estimation of Position.

8220;This is only a beginning,8221; said AICF secretary and Fide vice-president PT Ummer Koya. 8220;We hope to have regular camps like these even for our national teams before major competitions like the Olympiad or Asian championships,8221; he added.

India used get the services of GM-trainers like Eduard Gufeld in their preparations for Chess Olympiads in the 1980s. It looks as though this move might produce a desired change in the coaching sphere in India, which at present is bombarded with experiments.