Tania Sachdev: The Queen of the Checkered Square and the Voice of Modern Chess

Tania Sachdev, with her curly mane and infectious smile, ell in love with a game when she was three years old, and it changed her life forever. She was introduced to chess because her older brother was taking classes, but she was instantly drawn to it. So much so that when people would visit their house when she was a child, she’d force them to play a game with her. Today, at 39, Tania is an International Master (IM) and a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) – titles that cement her place in the world’s chess elite.

Tania started playing chess at a time when the sport had not gained as much attention. With Indians being featured on International news through global wins and titles; and shows like The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix, the sport now enjoys a far larger audience.

In the evolving world of sports media, Tania is also something more now – she is the bridge between the complexities of the 64 black and white squares, and the audience that enjoys it – by being a chess commentator as well.

From often being the singular girl with a chessboard in the academic circles of 1990s Delhi to standing on top of the podium with an Olympic gold medal in 2024, Tania has redefined what it means to be a professional chess player in India.

Learning, Playing and Winning Early On

Tania was born into a household where sports was a common language – her father a footballer and her mother a badminton player. Chess arrived in the household completely by chance, as someone gifted the family a chessboard, and nobody knew how to use it.

They learnt from a rulebook, but the game piqued Tania’s curiosity early on.

Even now, I feel like I'm always wanting to know why, what, and where the logic behind things comes from. So this game, really, I found fascinating from the start,

Her introduction to the game may have happened by chance, but she knew early on that she wanted to play competitively. One year or so after finding a chessboard, she played in her first tournament.

At her first Delhi State Tournament, an open event, she was so small she required a pile of gaddas (cushions) on her chair just to reach the pieces. She lost every single game. For most children, this may have been a deterrent. For Tania, it was fuel. She returned the following year and won.

I love open tournaments because the lines blur. You can be a girl or a boy, or any age, and still compete in the same way,” she said.

By the age of eight, she was travelling to the British Championships and winning the Under-8, Under-9, and Under-10 titles. The "hobby" had officially changed into much more than just that. Chess was a core part of all of Tania’s growing up years.

While her peers were navigating school, college and the intricacies of youth, Tania’s focus was elsewhere. Her attendance sometimes dipped to 3%. However, she feels she learnt a lot regardless. "What you learn on the ground, traveling, interacting with so many people... that’s what shaped me," she recalled. “I rarely had a feeling that I missed out on anything.”

Tania has seen a complete shift in how chess is perceived. When she started out, this was not seen as a viable career option. Now, there are lots of opportunities and ways to build a career in the field, even beyond playing professionally. But Tania paved her own way.

"You can't dream of becoming something you don't see," Tania said. For years, she had to look outward for role models because there were none in her immediate vicinity. Today, she is that role model for many. Her presence has changed conversations from “Can girls play chess?”to "Which girl is going to win the next tournament?"

She highlights, in many ways through the conversation, that chess is intertwined with her life in every way. “Chess has been so core to my existence. It has been the world that I have known all my life.”

The Second Innings

After many years spent competing in tournaments, Tania made a transition. She still loved the game, but she was feeling a shift and a calling towards something new: sports presentation and commentary.

If you tune into a high-stakes global chess broadcast today, whether it's the Magnus Carlsen Invitational or the World Championship, you are likely to see Tania Sachdev. She has become the "voice" of modern chess. She blends technical insights with easy-to-grasp delivery that breaks down the "why" and "how" for a global audience.

I truly hope that in five or ten years, people don't remember me just as a chess player, but as somebody who made a difference in the world of broadcasting for chess,

At 39, Tania Sachdev is in a unique position. She is still a formidable competitor, as her 2024 Olympic Gold testifies for, but she is also a visionary leader in the chess community. She advocates for lower entry barriers for kids and pushes for more professional coaching for young girls at earlier ages.

Tania’s is a story of grit, passion and endurance – much like what the game of chess embodies too.