For the approximately two weeks that he was in Goa for the FIDE World Cup, trying also to qualify for the Candidates, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi looked like a man at ease. Unlike other chess tournaments, the knockout format of the World Cup is designed to keep grandmasters on the edge and in a constant state of anxiety.

For Vidit, who has played chess around the world, playing in India brought a certain comfort level. The rare presence of his entire family during a high-stakes tournament had a lot to do with this feeling.

“I don’t know how many more World Cups I’m going to play. So it was nice that they could watch this live from the venue,” says Vidit. After his elimination, he is now preparing for another home event, the Global Chess League, which will be held in Mumbai .

Having elite t

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