Swara Deepak Phasge was only 5 years old when she was first introduced to chess. At that time, she did not even know the names of the chess pieces or how they moved. Within just three years, Swara achieved something remarkable — she became the Telangana Under-9 State Champion and represented her state at the National Chess Championship.
Her journey shows how the right guidance, consistent practice, and belief in a child’s potential can lead to extraordinary results.
Initial Challenges
When Swara first started learning chess, she was a very shy and introverted child. She rarely spoke to others and found it difficult to interact with people. Because of this, her parents were initially worried about whether she would be able to learn chess effectively in a structured training environment.
Communication was limited, and it took time for her to open up during the sessions.
Coaching Approach
Considering her introverted nature, the coaching approach was slightly different from the usual training style. Instead of focusing only on technical instruction, the early sessions involved more friendly and fun conversations to help Swara feel comfortable.
Soon it became clear that Swara had an exceptionally sharp memory. She was able to remember the names of the chess pieces and their movements after being taught just once. This was an early sign that she had strong potential if her interest in the game continued.
Training and Development
With time, Swara’s understanding of chess improved significantly. She began learning basic tactics, patterns, and strategies and started applying them in practice games.
Gradually, she began participating in club-level and district-level tournaments, where she started winning games consistently. These early victories boosted both her confidence and her parents’ motivation to support her chess journey further.
Swara developed a disciplined routine despite her young age.
Her typical daily schedule included:
Returning from school around 4 PM
Practicing chess for up to 4 hours
Solving puzzles early in the morning
Attending online coaching sessions
Reviewing and practicing games before going to bed
One challenge in her gameplay was that she tended to play moves too quickly without thinking deeply about the opponent’s response, which often led to mistakes.
To address this, we worked on improving her calculation and decision-making process. She was sometimes encouraged to spend 15–20 minutes analyzing a single move. Through structured exercises, she started calculating multiple variations and thinking several moves ahead, which helped unlock her full potential.
Achievements
Swara’s hard work started showing results in competitive tournaments.
2023: Participated in the Telangana State Under-9 Championship and finished as the Runner-Up.
2024: Returned stronger and won the Telangana State Under-9 Championship, becoming the State Champion.
In the same year, her FIDE rating reached 1636, making her India No. 5 in her age category.
Just three years earlier, Swara did not even know the names of the chess pieces. Now she was ranked among the top young chess players in India.
She has also participated in several National and International chess tournaments, continuing her journey of growth and learning.
Conclusion
Swara’s story is a powerful example of how consistent practice, the right coaching approach, and strong family support can transform a beginner into a champion.
From a shy 5-year-old child who barely spoke during lessons to a state champion representing Telangana at national events, her journey continues to inspire young chess players across the country.
