Away from limelight, SixDays Budapest fuels chess dreams for many

Budapest is currently hosting the Total Chess World Championship. But for many, the station in the city is a short distance away, at the SixDays Budapest Chess tournament, where some players chase elusive GM norms while others rekindle their love for the game.

A few kilometres from where some of the world's finest chess players were competing in the splendour of Budapest's Anantara New York Palace Hotel, another battle was unfolding in the Hungarian Chess Federation's tournament hall on Falk Miksa Street. Trophies were displayed outside the playing area, and a shop in the building sold chess books, clocks and boards.

Here, away from the spotlight, young Indian chess players were chasing elusive norms and Grandmaster titles, navigating an unforgiving circuit of long playing days, expensive travel and uncertain rewards.

Among them was nine-year-old Tamizh Amudhan from Sivakasi, rated 2050. He and his father, Satish, had booked a room in a small hotel nearby. Satish knew his son might lose more games than he won against older, higher-rated opponents on his SixDays debut. Grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna and the coaches at Hatsun Chess Academy, which supports Amudhan, had recommended the trip for that experience.

With nine rounds in six days, father and son returned to their accommodation after the morning game on double-round days, prepared food and came back for the afternoon session. A game beginning at 4:00 PM could last until eight or nine, Satish said. He estimated that a European tournament trip generally costs Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 4 lakh. Finishing in six days meant fewer nights to pay for, he said.

For International Master (IM) Harsh Suresh, this was a return visit. He had played in the GM-C group at SixDays Budapest from January 25 to 30, 2026, scoring five points from nine games. He was back seeking his first Grandmaster (GM) norm, a qualifying performance towards the title.

The 2023 Asian Under-16 champion beat Israel's Eyal Noy in the final round on Saturday to win the GM-A group outright. He finished unbeaten with seven points from nine games and a performance rating of 2604.

Harsh enjoys facing players whose approaches differ from those he encounters in India. With limited sponsorship, he also has to weigh the purpose of each trip. At home, he explained, lower expenses and the possibility of prize money are considerations. His European visits are primarily about ratings and norms.

"It's a bit tiring to play double rounds back to back," Harsh said. "It's difficult to maintain accuracy and stamina during these tournaments."

He had considered going to Total Chess to watch the leading players. With his own schedule so tight, he chose to rest instead.

SixDays director FM Miklos Halak welcomed the presence of the elite event nearby. For young players, it offered a chance to see the level they hoped to reach. His tournament provided an opportunity to work towards it.

Halak introduced the shorter format because comparable events often lasted eight to 10 days. In Budapest, he said, visitors could play two or three tournaments during a single stay.

Assembling the field is another challenge that requires careful planning. Halak has to secure titled players in advance, monitor ratings and find suitable replacements when someone withdraws. The groups must continue to meet the requirements for norm opportunities. Even then, he can make no promises about what players will achieve.

"Usually players know well that norms are not granted. I can grant only the opportunity. Chess is a very competitive sport, so those who take it seriously are very well aware that the results depend on the players themselves," Halak said.

For Michael, 67, the opportunity was simply to keep playing. A retiree and member of Budapest club MTK, he entered as many tournaments as he could, without pursuing a norm.

He had worked as an accountant, taught chess in Canada, and English in China. A stay in Hungary that was supposed to last a few months kept getting extended, but now more than a decade has passed.

Michael also had a memory of facing one of the game's leading players. At a Christmas gathering in China, he recalled playing three casual games against Levon Aronian and losing all of them. In one, Aronian offered to resign if Michael could find the winning continuation.

He could not. When Aronian showed him the sequence, Michael felt he would not have spotted it even with a year to think. He also remembered Aronian commending his play.

Michael played for enjoyment, Harsh was seeking a GM norm, and Amudhan was gaining experience. The same tournament served a different purpose for each of them.