Forged in Fire: Chess

In a sport that thrives on patience and foresight, Ashoka’s chess team has been fighting for years to be seen and respected. With their largest set of inductions yet, applicants battling through two days of tryouts, a deeper pool of rated players, and a captain wholly focused on winning, Ashoka Chess enters Agneepath 7.0 sharper, stronger and far more ambitious than before. Yet, despite high internal expectations and a consistently successful record, the team continues to navigate its biggest challenge: being taken seriously within the university. 

History of Ashoka Chess

When former captain Harshit Amarnani took charge of the team, Ashoka Chess was still finding its footing. “There was no structure to the practice schedule and very little team cohesion,” he recalled. The team was new and treated more like a club than a competitive unit. 

Over the years, that landscape has changed significantly. Participation has increased, and interest has grown to the point where tryouts have become genuinely competitive. “Earlier, if there were ten people, only four or five were truly passionate about competing,” Harshit said. “Now everyone wants to compete.” However, some issues have remained constant, most notably, the absence of a chess coach. 

Competitively, the team has delivered results when given the chance. Ashoka Chess finished second in its first appearance at Agneepath and has consistently performed strongly at SNU tournaments. Recalling his first year, Harshit described when they overperformed at SNU: “We only played them and whooped their ass.”

Current Leadership

Captain: Yashasvi Gupta - UG24 

Vice-Captain: Pranav Ananthasubramanyam - UG24

With a stronger talent pool that includes high-potential first-years alongside experienced second and third years, Captain Yashasvi Gupta highlighted a clear increase in drive and passion within the team. This growth has been supported by a highly collaborative system that encourages differing perspectives on strategies and positions rather than enforcing strict hierarchies.  

She also emphasised a two-pronged approach to the season: competing seriously while continuing to grow. The team follows a philosophy of never making the same mistake twice, while still allowing space for new mistakes to be made in the process of improvement. 

Squad for Agneepath 7.0

The Ashoka Chess team for Agneepath 7.0 features a mix of experienced players and high-potential newcomers:

Yashasvi Gupta (Captain)Pranav Ananthasubramanyam (Vice-Captain)Harshit AmarmaniAarav RakeshAmbar JunejaAnanya VoraVishuddh NishchhalAbhinav BanerjeeAnurav SinghManna GuptaRajit MundhraPratyush RudraHarshwardhan ShahKush JogKamya GuptaCharchit AgarwalSaurabh Parmar

Training and Preparation

For Ashoka Chess, preparation has often meant learning without a safety net. The team has never had a dedicated coach or a permanent practice space, forcing players to develop their own strategies of improvement. Training sessions have relied heavily on peer-led analysis, with players collectively breaking down games, debating openings, and adjusting strategies across different time controls.

Vice-Captain Pranav Ananthasubramanyam recognised that “no coach and very limited training in tournament settings has hindered us in the past”. In response, preparation for Agneepath has intensified. According to Yashasvi, training has increased significantly in both frequency and intensity, with games now practised under different time controls, across a variety of openings and strategies, supported by collaborative analysis with detailed feedback. 

Leadership and Morale

Beyond preparation, maintaining morale has been one of the most difficult aspects of leadership. Chess is an individual sport played within a team setting, making it easy for players to become tunnel-visioned on their own games, with mistakes weighing heavily.

“Clearing the slate and moving forward, while still maintaining overall team morale, remains one of the biggest leadership challenges,” Yashasvi said, highlighting the mental balance required to stay focused individually while supporting the collective. 

Looking Ahead 

Both past and present leadership converge on what comes next. Harshit hopes that the team pushes the administration harder for opportunities and competes more frequently. The current leadership shares that ambition.

A strong showing at Agneepath 7.0 could be a turning point in terms of recognition. The team hope it will encourage the university to send them to more tournaments, especially outside NCR. 

After years of being overlooked, Ashoka Chess arrives at Agneepath 7.0 sharper, deeper, and more dangerous than ever, ready to back its ambition with results.