Amey Sirdeshpande, 16, got hooked to chess largely because of Samay Raina’s online streams.
Raina, a stand-up comic and chess enthusiast, was one of COVID-19 lockdown’s greatest hits, with his YouTube channel becoming a rage. Laced with comedy and banter, it helped the game shed its studious image and appeal to an audience beyond the sport’s traditional fraternity.
The Bangalore Chess Club (BCC) is trying something similar — a dedicated set of volunteers led by techie Tarun Mittal have been organising chess matches at Lahe Lahe, a cultural and community hub and café in Indiranagar, twice a month.
