MadeofChennai | Manuel Aaron on chess during wartime in Chennai

International chess master Manuel Aaron. File
| Photo Credit: M. Karunakaran

International chess master Manuel Aaron speaks about the roots of chess culture in Chennai

Mostly, chess was centered in Mylapore, specifically on South Mada Street. When war loomed and people sent their wives and children away, the men were left alone in their homes. So, what did they do? They played chess all night. There was a rule: no lights at night, because the Japanese could spot them from the sky and bomb the area.

They wanted complete darkness, so people would patrol the streets to check if any windows were open. If they spotted one, they’d shout and scream for us to close it. As a result, everyone made sure to close everything off. They used their own hurricane lamps inside and played chess all day, uninterrupted by anyone.

That was the kind of chess culture we had. Even in the face of danger, people didn’t let it faze them. They felt threatened, but they thought, “It will pass; we’ll live forever”. And we did. Maybe not forever. That’s one of my cherished memories of Madras. Happy birthday, Chennai. I’m truly made of Chennai.

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