B Shrikant

Focus on Junior World Cup winners ahead of Hockey India League opener

The hosts Dabang Mumbai have five players who figured in India’s triumphant campaign last month, while Ranchi have four. Ranchi Rays are also coached by Harendra Singh, who guided India to victory.

Hockey India League’s 5th edition a chance for juniors to establish credentials

Hockey India League has contributed to the overall resurgence of the game but now is the time to think ahead and allow the younger players get more exposure

Dakar Rally: CS Santosh aims for good show in crucial seventh stage

The Dakar Rally heads into the crucial seventh stage, in which the total distance covered will be 622 kms.

Dakar Rally: Racer makes waves in tough stage with fractured thumb

Joaquim Rodrigues is participating in the Dakar Rally and he performed admirably in a tough stage with a fractured thumb to zoom to 11th in the general classification.

Dakar’s Good Samaritans work overtime to ensure high safety standards

The Dakar Rally of 2017 has already suffered some injuries, including the defending champion Toby Price and India’s Aravind KP.

Computer-era chess players: Supercomputers sans emotions

With computer-generated power to analyse games faster and more extensively than ordinary human beings, computer-era players, it is considered, make less mistakes and are, therefore, difficult to beat as was evident in the Magnus Carlsen-Sergey Karjakin clash.

Why Magnus Carlsen is the greatest, greater than even Viswanathan Anand

The Mozart of Chess was slightly out of tune against Sergey Karjakin. Though his narrow win in the World Chess Championship match will increase pressure on Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian is still the greatest player of this era — greater than India’s Viswanathan Anand.

World Chess Championship: Magnus Carlsen loses Game 8 to Sergey Karjakin

Reigning world chess champion Magnus Carlsen landed in a tough spot in New York on Monday night when challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia defeated him in the eighth game of their 12-game title clash and surged ahead.

Magnus Carlsen creates buzz with new ‘Trompowsky’ opening in world championship

Magnus Carlsen, the current reigning world champion, created a buzz in the chess world when he chose a new opening called the Trompowsky attack in the world championship clash against Sergey Karjakin

Chess World Championship: Magnus Carlsen faces new challenge in Sergey Karjakin

Karjakin earned the right to challenge Carlsen by winning the World Chess Candidates Tournament in March this year – finishing ahead of Fabiano Caruana of the United States and India’s Anand.

World hockey body to update statistics of India-Pakistan matches

Statistics of India versus Pakistan hockey bilateral series, which were missing from the head-to-head statistics collated from the statistical partner of the sport’s world governing body, will soon be included in the database.

Determination the key for India U-18 hockey team’s success in Asia Cup 2016

Defeat to a lower-ranked team in the opening round usually has a demoralizing effect. But the India under 18 took that setback in its stride as it established its supremacy in the Asia Cup that concluded last week in Dhaka, Bangladesh, overcoming the hosts in a tense finale.

Tal Memorial to see Viswanathan Anand’s return to international chess

The Grandmaster from Chennai, who last played in the Sinquefield Cup 2016 in August, has participated in only three of the 10 editions of the Tal Memorial, a fifth place being his best finish.

Fourth place finish at Chess Olympiad was impressive

Changing attitude towards paralympic sports more important than rewards

While India is rejoicing over Thangavelu’s and Varun Singh’s gold and bronze medal wins at the Rio Paralympics, we seem to fail to notice how difficult it is to compete in these sports.

India set out with modest hopes for Chess Olympiad

The Olympiad will be played over 11 rounds of Swiss League competition at the end of which the team with most points will claim the gold medal. Teams will play over four boards in each round.

A man of principle, Gopichand moulds not just champions but role models

If Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth are the face of Indian badminton, Gopichand is the brain behind their success, plotting moves with the guile and precision of a chess Grandmaster.

Not an easy feat, says proud father

Not easy to win an Olympic medal – whatever colour it may be: PV Sindhu’s father

PV Ramana and P Vijaya, parents of shuttler PV Sindhu, have now pinned their hopes of the elusive gold medal in the 2020 Olympics to be hosted by Tokyo.

PV Sindhu emerges from Saina Nehwal’s shadow in emphatic style

While the focus was on Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu progressed quietly into medal contention, defeating higher ranked opponents in pre-quarters, quarters and semifinals.

Hope and a prayer for Beamonesque effort

Dribbling skills made him the best

Mohd. Shahid: A giant on and off the turf

Mohammad Shahid: Full of life, a livewire in the team, recalls teammate Carvalho

Shahid was admitted to SSL Hospital at Banaras Hindu University with severe stomach pain on June 29. With his health deteriorating, he was flown to New Delhi and admitted at Gurgaon’s Medanta Medicity hospital. He died of liver and kidney failure on Wednesday morning. He was 56.

Harika attributes rest period for return of consistency

Old-timers and chess coaches always talk of playing a tournament with a clear mind. Good preparation, adequate rest and peaceful mind, they say, would help a chess player reap rich rewards.

Hockey heroes: Why you should cheer India’s Champions Trophy run

Coach Oltmans put his faith in young squad for the Champions Trophy, resting senior players like skipper Sardar Singh and his decision paid handsomely as India came up with their best performance in recent times.

Asian Nations Cup win marks successful first quarter for Indian chess

Young stars Adhiban, Abhijeet Gupta lead India’s charge ahead of Anand and Harikrishna

Candidates: Viswanathan Anand and a series of ‘what ifs’

Losing badly to Hikaru Nakamura with black pieces not only ruined Anand’s chances at the 2016 World Chess Candidates Tournament in Moscow but also left him with a question “what if”?

Azlan Shah: By picking up youngsters, selectors send out a message to senior players

The Indian team management led by chief coach Roelant Oltmans hs given the young goal keepers -- Harjot Singh and Akash Anil Chikte -- to come out Sreejesh’s shadow and show their mettle.

Viswanathan Anand the dark horse for World Chess Candidates in Moscow

The five-time world champion went through difficult times in 2014 too but he came back strong and stunned the world by setting up a date with Magnus Carlson. Come Friday, can Anand spring to life once again?