I started playing chess when I was 5 years old. My grandpa, seeing his little grandson who could never sit still for more than three minutes, got me a chess set. He began showing me how to play.

The first time I held those chess pieces and learned the moves, I was just overwhelmed with this joy. And till this day, every time I play, it’s that same joy. There’s something about those 64 squares that brings out the kid in everyone. And who doesn’t want to feel like a kid again, right?

A couple of days ago, my mom found some old photos on her computer and sent them to me. Looking at these pictures, they tell a story – a story of how I’ve changed in parallel to my chess style. I started off playing fast and loose with the rules, then got more serious and aggressive, and then more strategic. It’s been a cycle – trying to find the right balance, in chess and in life. It’s kind of a chicken-and-egg problem whether your character helps you to improve your chess or your chess eventually shapes your character.

Playing chess isn’t just about getting better at the game. It’s also about the lessons you learn along the way. The patience you develop waiting for ‘the moment’, the habit of thinking from other people’s perspectives, and the trained calmness that can pull you through the toughest situations.

“It is my style to take my opponent and myself on to unknown grounds. A game of chess is not an examination of the knowledge, it is a battle of nerves.”– David Bronstein