Titles increasing in chess, not quality

Election manipulation is considered one of the primary prerequisites for securing a position in the country's sports federations. After winning elections, the responsibility falls on the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) to deal with accountability issues. In most cases, federations seek shortcuts to prove their eligibility, undermining the long-term planning for sports development, which becomes optional. This trend is prevalent in the majority of the over fifty sports federations in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Judo Federation is no exception. Political influence seems to play a role in climbing the federation's ladder, further pushing sports into the background. An attempt has been made to highlight the details of Bangladesh chess through this report.

Niaz Morshed, the first Grandmaster from the promising subcontinent, captivated by the chessboard.

First grandmaster of the subcontinent:
In 1987, Niaz Morshed became the first Grandmaster not only from Bangladesh but also from the subcontinent to guide the chess players of the subcontinent. Born in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1966, Niaz Morshed achieved the title of Grandmaster as the first chess player from this region.

Rani after Niaz:
Niaz achieved the International Master title in 1982 on his way to becoming a Grandmaster. Within three years, Rani Hamid of Bangladesh correctly charted her path to the International Master title. However, for almost 42 years, she has held onto that International Master title. At 80 years old, Rani Hamid still competes in chess tournaments.

Renowned as the "Queen of Chess," Rani Hamid still competes actively.

The successors of Niaz:
At the age of 57, following the footsteps of Bangladesh's chess icon, four more players achieved the Grandmaster title within the next 21 years - Ziaur Rahman, Rifat Bin Sattar, Molla Abdullah Al Rakib, and Enamul Hossain Rajib. Before these mentioned four Grandmasters, there was potential shown by Zillur Rahman Champak. However, he did not take his international master title seriously in 1990. In the midst of the 1990s, he settled in the United States.

Track set for nation's chess claim:
In the 1990s, Ziuaur Rahman, Rifat Bin Sattar, and Molla Abdullah Al Rakib achieved the International Master title during Zillur Rahman's sojourn abroad. In the following decade, all three players progressed from International Masters to Grandmasters. Enamul Hossain Rajib became the latest chess player from the country to achieve this title in 2008.

The pioneer of the dark chapter in the country's chess, Mokaddes Hossain.

The dark chapter:
Presently, former general secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation (Adhoc) Committee, Mokaddes Hossain, resides in Europe with family and relatives. Previously, he had chosen the foundation of the Bangladesh Chess Federation as a ladder to settle abroad. Holding a significant position in political circles, he sat comfortably in this role. While his path of settling abroad with family as the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Chess Federation seemed to broaden, it hindered the progress of chess in the country. Consequently, Grandmasters Niaz Morshed, Rifat Bin Sattar, Abdullah Al Rakib, and Enamul Hossain Rajib withdrew from the sport. The chess players ousted Mokaddes Hossain from the Federation, which halted the opportunity for International Masters Abu Sufian Shakil, Shamima Akhtar Liza, and Minhaj Uddin Ahmed Sagar to elevate themselves to Grandmasters. They remain stuck in the same position. The disastrous period from 2009 to 2012 continues to inflict damage on Bangladesh chess. There hasn't been an initiative in the next era to recover from this setback.

Long hiatus:
After Enamul Hossain Rajib, Bangladesh went 16 years without producing any Grandmaster, largely attributed to the dark chapter of Mokaddes Hossain's governance. Within a span of one year, Abu Sufian Shakil, Minhajuddin Ahmed Sagar, and Shamima Akhtar Liza showed potential to achieve the International Master title. Shakil and Liza obtained the title in 2011, while Sagar achieved it in 2012. However, due to the stagnant state of chess in the country, Shakil quit playing to focus on coaching. Liza settled abroad, while Sagar continues to play despite facing challenges. Following these mentioned three players, Fahad Rahman and Sharmina Sultana Shirin achieved the International Master title in 2019.

Enamul Hossain Rajib, the country's least experienced Grandmaster.

Titles increase, quality stagnates:
Between 2011 and 2019, five players from Bangladesh - Shakil, Sagar, Liza, Shirin, and Fahad - achieved the title of International Master. This might suggest significant progress in chess for Bangladesh during this period. However, the reality is different. Since 2011, the Asian Zone has been split into separate zones for Bangladesh and India. After moving out of India's group, Bangladesh established sole dominance in Zone 3.1.2. Direct participation in zonal tournaments offers opportunities for chess players to directly attain the title of International Master by becoming champions in the men's or women's open divisions. While the number of titleholders has increased and continues to do so, the prestige associated hasn't proportionally increased. The latest recipient of the title from zonal tournaments is Jannatul Ferdous. Due to rating criteria not being met, she hasn't yet received recognition as an International Master from the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

The barriers to quality improvement:
The efforts of the Bangladesh Chess Federation to internationalize chess are often questioned. In the past, financial crises were significant barriers. However, since Benazir Ahmed became the president of the Bangladesh Chess Federation, financial crises have diminished, especially over the past 3-4 years. This raises the question: why hasn't the quality of the country's chess players improved? One reason is the lack of competitions that match the capabilities of the players, which can propel them forward. Currently, there are numerous rating, International Master, and Grandmaster title competitions in the country, but they are not organized in a way that benefits specific players.

Additionally, experts also highlight the personal efforts of chess players as a factor in the stagnation. Chess players require significant study and practice, an area where many Bangladeshi players are lacking. This lack of commitment often prevents many players from reaching higher levels of achievement.

EGrandmaster Ziaur Rahman and his son Tahsin Tajwar Zia.

Patronage of chess:
Niaz Morshed, Ziaur Rahman, Rifat Bin Sattar, Molla Abdullah Al Rakib, and Enamul Hossain Rajib are now receiving personal support from Rega Neer-Tahsin Tajwar, which was previously unavailable. They are playing for nearly 30 teams, including the Bangladesh Navy, Ansar, and the Bangladesh Police team. When they go to play in international competitions, they receive support from their respective organizations. Despite that, retired judge of the Supreme Court, Mohammad Shamim, expressed regret, saying, "The current players are receiving monthly salaries from various organizations for playing chess. In the past, even Niaz Bhai didn't have such facilities. Even when playing abroad, they receive support from their organizations. However, it's unfortunate that they are not able to improve." Organizer Mushfiqur Rahman Mohon had formed the Navy Chess Team. However, he is no longer involved, but he also expressed frustration with the situation, "Forming the Navy team was a milestone. It was like the first time a services team entered the chess arena. Those responsible for the Bangladesh Chess Federation should have included other organizations. If they had created job opportunities through chess, the enthusiasts would have been more interested in the game. Unfortunately, such initiatives have not been taken."

The question-oriented competition:
From the outside, it may seem like the Bangladesh Chess Federation is quite busy with domestic activities. The federation's involvement in various events over the years raises questions about its role in the development of Bangladesh chess and its players' standards. The recently held "Bangladesh Police Prime Club Invitational Chess Tournament" in the first week of December was one such event that raised questions. The purpose of this event was to fulfill the rating requirements for Jannatul Ferdous to obtain the title of International Master. Through the acquisition of another International Master title, the Bangladesh Chess Federation may be aiming to reassure stakeholders in the sporting arena that they are on the right track. However, experts suggest that organizing such events regularly may leave the country's chess and its players trailing behind. The competition has sparked extensive criticism within the chess community.

Despite striving for Grandmaster status, Fahad Rahman keeps returning to square one.

Dreams revolving around Fahad:
The Bangladesh Chess Federation officials once dreamed around Shakil, Sagar, Liza, and Shirin after the five grandmasters. However, turning that dream into reality didn't take long. Fahad Rahman is now being considered a potential candidate in the campaign for achieving the Grandmaster title. Back in 2013, the FIDE Master title and in 2019, the International Master title acquisition were seen as significant milestones for this contender. There was an expectation that Fahad Rahman would soon raise questions regarding the Grandmaster title, but this contender, now 20 years old, has yet to prove that assumption wrong by achieving any Grandmaster norm.

Frustration surrounding Fahad:
After achieving the title of International Master, Fahad Rahman had come close to achieving the Grandmaster title 6 to 7 times, but it seems as if he keeps returning from there repeatedly. Last year in Vietnam, he couldn't secure the necessary point for the title. Before that, in Thailand, he missed out on the norm due to stomach pain. Along with time, frustration is also growing around Fahad. He has set himself a deadline to become a Grandmaster by 2024. He expressed his frustration, saying, "I don't understand why I keep coming back even after going there. There is a saying in chess, it's difficult to do something for the first time. If I can achieve that, the rest two will follow. I hope everything will happen this year. I am preparing myself accordingly."

Grassroots interest can’t be created:
The daily allowance for participants in the National Under-20 Championship, which ended in December, was only 400 taka. In the current market situation, this amount is not enticing any player to come to Dhaka and participate in the game. Such trivial matters are having a significant impact on the influential role of Bangladesh's chess. Due to the ongoing trend, these issues are having a long-term influential impact on the game.

Personal efforts falling short:
In many cases, questions are raised about the current players' capabilities, and personal efforts are seen as necessary for their improvement. Grandmasters like Niaz and Zia have achieved growth by working hard, even with minimal facilities. Despite receiving assistance from various organizations and clubs, today's players, who have been sweating it out up to a certain level, are losing their way in the future, according to experts in the field.

Niaz Morshed's initiative:
Frustration, like others, is being felt by the first Grandmaster of the subcontinent, Niaz Morshed, due to Fahad repeatedly returning empty-handed from attempts to achieve the Grandmaster title. He wants to organize a series of competitions that will help not only Fahad Rahman but also other players to achieve and progress. Even with a small budget, it is possible to organize Grandmaster tournaments for players from neighboring countries. Niaz Morshed is making efforts in this regard. Regarding this, the iconic figure of Bangladesh chess said, "Fahad keeps coming back empty-handed despite his attempts. I want to see how many times he can come back!" However, no matter how many plans Niaz Morshed makes, it will ultimately be Fahad Rahman who has to play on the board. A skilled trainer is needed for this ambitious endeavor. It is difficult to arrange for a trainer. He is looking towards the Bangladesh Chess Federation for help in this matter. Previously, foreign trainers were brought in to take care of local players. This effort is being reinstated, which is also demanded by other players.

Emerging talent Saklain Mustafa Sajid is shining bright.

Residential camp for the upcoming:
Under the supervision of chess coach Abu Sufian Shakil, a residential training camp has been launched by the Bangladesh Police, involving several promising players. This one-year training program will end in April next year. Already, a participant in this program, Saklain Mustafa, has emerged as the champion in two consecutive tournaments. At just 12 years old, Saklain became the national junior champion on December 31st. He also won the Walton International Rating Chess Tournament within two years, leaving behind Grandmasters Ziaur Rahman and Rifat Bin Sattar, and International Master Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar.

Abu Sufian Shakil's expectations:
Coach Abu Sufian Shakil, an optimist, is taking the initiative to bring chess players under his wing. After achieving the title of International Master in 2011, Shakil said, "There are several talented players in the pipeline. Saklain is one of them. If the Bangladesh Chess Federation's joint director Shoeb (Shoeb Riaz Alam) proceeds with the plan he has in mind, then perhaps we will soon find International Masters and Grandmasters."

Federation officials' call:
Shoeb Riaz Alam, joint director of the Bangladesh Chess Federation, said, "It won't be enough if only the federation tries. To advance Bangladesh chess, various clubs and organizations also need to step forward. By organizing chess competitions in various countries around the world, efforts are being made to improve the local players on one hand, and on the other hand, clubs and organizations are also benefiting financially. As the national federation, we have a specific responsibility, and we are planning accordingly. Work becomes easier when other clubs and organizations come forward."

Disheartened, Abu Sufian Shakil (on the right) opts for coaching after leaving the game.

Emerging Talent in the Pipeline:
Amidst disappointment, some proactive individuals are collaborating for the betterment. Monon Reza Neer, Tahsin Tajwar Zia, Saklain Mustafa Sajid, Rayan Rashid Mugdha, Warsia Khushbu, Swarnabho Chowdhury, among others, stand out. Federation officials have discussed the idea of a new plan to nurture these self-contained talents into complete players. Such plans are often heard of, but this time their implementation is urgent.

In Conclusion:
More emphasis is being placed on the development of athletes in most federations than keeping the seat warm. For this, the responsible members of all sports federations are seeking shortcuts to success. It is clear as daylight that without far-reaching plans, advancement in any sport discipline is not possible. The shortcomings of far-reaching plans are evident even in the Bangladesh Chess Federation. Despite hosting various events over the years, there has been no improvement in the usual practice room. The number of titleholders may have increased, but the quality of the players has not!

Author: Journalist