Mayank Chaudhary is a Senior Sub Editor at The Indian Express, based in Noida. He is a specialized sports journalist with a primary focus on Chess, where he has established himself as a key voice in covering both Indian and international developments in the sport. Professional Profile Role: Senior Sub Editor Organization: The Indian Express Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh Specialization: Sports (primarily chess) Key Areas of Coverage Mayank Chaudhary provides extensive reporting and analysis on the global chess circuit. His recent work prominently features: FIDE World Cup & Candidates: He has been a lead reporter for the FIDE World Cup (including the 2025 edition in Goa), covering match results, tie-breaks, and the qualification paths for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Indian Chess Prodigies: He closely tracks the careers of India’s top Grandmasters, including R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna. International Stars: His reporting includes interviews and profiles of international players like Andrey Esipenko (Russia), Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan), and Wei Yi (China). Industry & Culture of Chess: Beyond match results, he writes about the chess "ecosystem," such as the rise of chess commentators (e.g., Sagar Shah and Tania Sachdev), the impact of cheating allegations (notably those by Vladimir Kramnik), and the unique fan culture surrounding the game. Notable Recent Articles "Meet India's chess tragics: A corporate honcho, a chocolatier, a film-maker, a content-creator & a superfan in cycle" – A feature on the diverse community of chess enthusiasts. "FIDE World Cup: How China’s unique ecosystem has made it a chess superpower" – An analytical piece on the national training systems in China. "Javokhir Sindarov’s memorable FIDE World Cup triumph" – A deep dive into the success of the Uzbek grandmaster. Coverage of Viswanathan Anand’s participation in international masters tournaments and his continued influence on the game. You can follow his latest work and full archive of stories on his official author profile: Mayank Chaudhary - The Indian Express.

August 22, 2025 00:04 IST
Praggnanandhaa held Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov to a comfortable draw while reigning World Champion D Gukesh also had a tame draw against local player Sam Sevian.
Fri, Aug 22, 2025
August 20, 2025 23:51 IST
The win comes after Gukesh's defeat to R Praggnanandhaa and with that, he avenges the costly defeat he suffered to the Uzbek at the 2022 Chennai Olympiad
Wed, Aug 20, 2025
August 20, 2025 07:00 IST
Chennai Masters winner Vincent Keymer has the talent but he just needs to keep improving, says his trainer Peter Leko.
Wed, Aug 20, 2025
August 19, 2025 11:15 IST
Praggnanandhaa’s decision to maintain a complex position forcing Gukesh to burn extra seconds, worked like a charm, as the latter resigned after the 36th move
Tue, Aug 19, 2025
August 18, 2025 20:56 IST
Unlike India's Arjun Erigaisi, who thrives in chaotic positions, Vincent, ‘a natural strategist’ seeks harmony, says Peter Leko.
Tue, Aug 19, 2025
August 15, 2025 23:32 IST
With scores level at 9.5-9.5, Hou Yifan won the final tiebreak to advance to the semifinals; Divya had beaten China's Lei Tingjie in the Round of 16.
Sat, Aug 16, 2025
August 03, 2025 23:40 IST
While the 38-year-old Humpy is enjoying a second wind in her career, Divya’s World Cup triumph at 19 stresses India’s growing depth in the modern era of chess. But is it enough?
Mon, Aug 04, 2025
July 29, 2025 21:27 IST
Viswanathan Anand credits the 38-year-old's open mind and flexibility, while her second, Kushager Krishnater details about the intense 'physically draining' work they did behind the scenes
Tue, Jul 29, 2025
July 28, 2025 23:39 IST
Teenager shows great fighting spirit to hold veteran Koneru Humpy to two draws before prevailing in rapid format
Tue, Jul 29, 2025
July 28, 2025 15:53 IST
After beating veteran Koneru Humpy in the final, Divya Deshmukh says, "“I think it was fate, me getting the grandmaster title this way."
Tue, Jul 29, 2025
July 27, 2025 23:50 IST
While the first leg was a tale of missed opportunities for Divya, the second leg saw a different approach from Humpy, who opted for a non-risky opening with White.
Mon, Jul 28, 2025
July 27, 2025 00:18 IST
The game that could have swung either way, but eventually ended in a 41-move draw, and perhaps Divya will rue her missed chances with white pieces.
Sun, Jul 27, 2025
July 26, 2025 07:30 IST
Among the hierarchy of chess titles that include International Master (IM), FIDE Master (FM), Candidate Master (CM), and their female-specific counterparts (WGM, WIM, WFM, WCM), the Grandmaster title stands as the most prestigious and challenging to obtain.
Mon, Jul 28, 2025
July 21, 2025 19:11 IST
Teenager beats the more experienced Harika Dronavalli as there is a guarantee of at least one Indian at next year's Candidates Tournament
Tue, Jul 22, 2025
July 21, 2025 00:23 IST
Humpy's qualification to the semifinal guarantees India a coveted spot in the Candidates tournament, with compatriots Divya Deshmukh and Harika Dronavalli — engaged in an all-Indian quarterfinal clash — placed in different brackets.
Mon, Jul 21, 2025
July 20, 2025 22:00 IST
Carlsen, being the genius he is, fought back, but Praggnanandhaa has emerged as by far the most competent Indian to take the world's best player head-on.
Mon, Jul 21, 2025
July 19, 2025 23:58 IST
Koneru Humpy took a giant step forward in pursuit of her maiden World Cup title after making light work of Yuxin's defence, which had troubled some experienced players.
Sun, Jul 20, 2025
July 18, 2025 19:32 IST
India holds a 50% representation in the last eight at FIDE Women's World Cup and with Divya and Harika drawn in the same bracket, an all-Indian clash guarantees at least one semifinalist for the first time.
Sat, Jul 19, 2025
July 07, 2025 00:12 IST
Sunday demanded different calculations with podium contention at stake, so the Indian chased stability, while the Norwegian, comfortably leading, secured his advantage
Mon, Jul 07, 2025
July 06, 2025 00:12 IST
Amid all the cacophony around teenage Classical World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh’s prowess in faster formats, the Chennai prodigy suffered a dramatic freefall on the first day of the Blitz event at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament in Zagreb on Saturday.
Sun, Jul 06, 2025
June 29, 2025 23:29 IST
In a freewheeling interview with The Indian Express, Praggnanandhaa talks about “feeling dead” during the recent UzChess Cup, earning the respect of older generation like Magnus Carlsen, and why winning Wijk aan Zee was crucial for his season.
Wed, Jul 02, 2025
June 24, 2025 08:00 IST
Atharvaa Tayade, 24, is an MBA student from IIM-Calcutta; Tayade was unbeaten until the final round at the FIDE World Rapid Team Championship in London
Wed, Jun 25, 2025
June 14, 2025 23:29 IST
Anand hailed the format of the event. "What is commendable is that so many teams composed of fans and club players chose to participate, giving it a slight festival feel," the five-time World Champion and India's greatest ever chess player told The Indian Express from London.
Sat, Jun 14, 2025
June 14, 2025 21:37 IST
He sums up his philosophy: ’Winning that one tournament means more to me than finishing second in five’.
Sat, Jun 14, 2025
June 13, 2025 23:26 IST
Entering the ninth round as joint leaders with seven points each, Gupta reclaimed the outright lead by overcoming the Belarusian Grandmaster with white pieces
Fri, Jun 13, 2025


