Swayams Mishra

Swayams Mishra

Grandmaster Swayams Mishra is the new age face of chess in India. Swayams Mishra is not only the Grandmaster of chess but also an inspiring engineer and a coach. He plays these three roles remarkably well in his life. Swayams Mishra is the 62nd Grandmaster of India. Swayams Mishra stands on 1118 rank worldwide, 46 in India, and 151 among all the Asian countries. Swayams Mishra got the title of Grandmaster in 2019 at 2nd quarter PB 2019, 27-30 June, Baku, Azerbaijan. He got the title of International Master in 2012 at 1st quarter Presidential Board 2012, 3-6 February, Al Ain, UAE.  Being a busy person, he was very kind to take out time and interview with us.

Q) How your journey with Chess started out? Who were your trainers, and how did your interest in the sport grow?

I learned chess at the age of 6 years. I and my sister were very young and one fine afternoon my father brought a chessboard for us. We were very happy and started playing it the moment we saw us. My sister was older than me and she was really good at this game. She played at the national level in her age-group. She was highly talented at this game. In her first year of playing, she qualified in the top 15 at nationals. Later she decided to pursue her career in medicine and chess remained a hobby for her. When I was young, I was a very curious child. I was hyperactive and couldn’t sit in one place for 5 minutes. But, I have also had a very intelligent personality. I developed my interest in the game because of my sister and I personally too enjoy this game a lot. I underwent many coaches in my career. Each of them has a special contribution to what I am. They taught me their own personal skills and because of them, I am Grandmaster Swayams Mishra. Currently, I am working with GM Sundaranjan Kidambi.

Q) We came to know that you are an engineer. So did you pursue a job after completing your education?

I was playing chess for a long time now. I really liked chess and wanted to play more. In my second year of pursuing engineering, I decided that I want to build my career in Chess and that’s why I never opted for jobs.

Q) We know in India, there is a lot of pressure from parents and relatives to give emphasis to education than sports. Did you face such scenarios?

My parents were very supportive in this regard, they actually shielded me from the pressure from relatives. So, I didn’t have to worry about any of them and completely focus on my career.

Q) When you became the GM? How was the experience of the last few rounds before getting the title? What is your current FIDE Rating?

I became the Grandmaster in 2019. I completed my title before 1st round of the tournament. Before achieving the title, honestly, I wasn’t worried about it much. Because I missed it many times in the past. My current FIDE rating is 2489. 

Q) What you think about pursuing Chess as a profession financially in India?

Being a professional player isn't very feasible these days until you are at the top and literally everyone knows you or you are all over the news. The competition is growing & chess is getting tougher day by day. There aren't many job opportunities as compared to the number of players rising in India. As I am seeing, most players are trying to keep up by giving part-time lessons or trying to find a sponsor to support their fundings. This is the only way according to me if you want to continue playing chess and earn money too.

Q) Being an engineer and have an interest in reading, what are your favorite books & software?

Yes, I really enjoy reading and I like many books but here are some of my dearest ones. Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces by Igor Stohl. Chess Strategy in Action by John Watson. How to reassess your chess by Jeremy Silman. Endgame Manual by Mark Dvoretsk. Kasparov on Kasparov Part -1. I also use many online software and tools to practice chess regularly and know more about it. My current favorites are followchess and ChessBase for now. And, I would recommend everyone to try them, as they are amazing.

Q) Over the years how have you changed as a chess player and as a human? What is your dream?

Over the years playing chess, I have grown mature and trying to adapt to different styles of the game according to the situation. Chess has taught me patience as I was not very patient in my childhood. Thankyou to Chess, I was able to make better decisions in life. And, I don’t have dreams as such generally. But, I generally have short term targets and at the moment I want to enjoy the game.

Q) You have trained many chess players who too have been successful. How was your coaching experience?

I like coaching, especially sharing ideas and helping young talents to get better. At times it's amazing to see them solving positions even better than me. Some of my students have won national championships, which gave me immense joy & happiness. I genuinely want to continue teaching and see them winning in many games.

Q) What hobby you have apart from Chess? And are u foodie?

Apart from chess, I like to watch movies & tv series. I am a serial watcher. Also, I like hanging out with friends. Definitely, I love food. Especially trying new dishes.