14 youngsters receive laptops through the ChessBase India YouTube members program

by Sagar Shah - 25/06/2024

Laptops have become integral parts of the life of any improving chess player. A robust laptop that works without hanging definitely leads to substantial improvement for a young talent. It was with this thought in mind that we launched the ChessBase India YouTube Memberships Laptop initiative. The total amount ChessBase India had collected via its YouTube memberships in the last two years (Rs.13.6 lakh) was used to sponsor a Lenovo Yoga Slim laptop (worth Rs.1 lakh) to 14 youngsters. Read more about the initiative, who the players are who received the laptop and what was their reaction when the laptop arrived at their doorsteps!

14 talents benefit from the ChessBase India YouTube Memberships Laptop Program

ChessBase India YouTube channel has a "join" button on its homepage. This button helps us to have members. When we launched our memberships in December 2020, we promised our viewers that all the amount that would be utilized for Indian chess and Indian chess players. We used all the funds until March 2022 to find individual talents each month and support them. They included talents like Ilamparthi, Pranesh, Savitha Shri, Pranav V. Sarayu Velpula and many more. And then we decided to accumulate the funds of two years of YouTube memberships for helping 14 talented youngsters with laptops. How did this idea come about? The entire thought process behind it, has been mentioned in this announcement article. The total amount we had accumulated was Rs.13,60,573. The breakdown of the amount with the names of the members has been mentioned here.

Laptops have become quintessential for any talented player to progress at chess. We wanted to make sure that we were able to give a laptop that had good specifications and would last long. With players devoting so much time and energy to the sport, it was important to give them a tool that is up to the mark. Below is the laptop that was chosen:

The Laptop offered was the Lenovo Yoga Slim series with the specifications given below! The cost of one laptop was close to Rs.1 lakh.

Specifications of the laptop: Processor: Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155H Processor (E-cores up to 3.80 GHz P-cores up to 4.80 GHz) - Operating System: Windows 11 Home 64 Single Language - Microsoft Productivity Software: Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021 India - Memory: 32 GB LPDDR5X-7467MHz (Soldered) - Solid State Drive: 1 TB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe Gen4 TLC - Display: 35.56cms (14) WUXGA (1920 x 1200), OLED, Glare, Non-Touch, HDR 500, 100%DCI-P3, 400 nits, 60Hz, Narrow Bezel, Low Blue Light - Graphic Card: Integrated Graphics - Camera: 1080P FHD IR/RGB Hybrid - Microphone: Array Microphone - Color: Luna Grey - Surface Treatment: Al Anodizing Stamping - Keyboard: Backlit, Luna Grey - English - Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX & Bluetooth® 5.1 or above - Palmrest: Al - Battery: 4 Cell Li-Polymer 65Wh - Power Cord: 65W USB-C 90% PCC 3pin AC Adapter - India - Warranty: 1 Year Courier or Carry-in.

When we launched the announcement article we received close to 100 applications. We went through all of them considering each one carefully And at the end of it we were able to finalize 14 players who would benefit most from this. Of course, there were many deserving players whom we couldn't select this year, but we are confident that our members will continue contributing and this will become a yearly affair. The below are the details of the 14 talented players, the reason why we selected them and their reactions on receiving the laptops!

The 14 recepients of the ChessBase India YouTube Memberships Laptop Program

1. Takkshanth Anand

Takkshanth's old laptop which would take close to 7 minutes to start.

Born in 2017, Takkshanth is the current national schools under-7 champion. The boy wanted a new laptop to attend classes, play more online tournaments, store games and grow in his chess journey.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

We were shocked when we received laptop and felt very happy and motivational with such a valuable gift.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

We going to connect more online classes as our place is very far for offline classes. Also to play online games. Now we able to use chessbase online as well. It also help him to practice more.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

As a parent when Takkshanth won National so we were worried how to bring him to next stage and support him but this laptop given us a confidence that when we perform well there are people to support. It make us to work harder to get to next level.

2. Medant Jain (1456)

Medant had a second hand laptop with 2 GB RAM and no battery back up. It ran slowly and got hung many times!

Recently, when I visited Bhopal, I got to meet Medant and also see his new laptop! The boy wanted to use it to get better at learning and analyzing his own games.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

It was a remarkable gift for me from ChessBase India. I am grateful to ChessBase India YouTube members for supporting my chess journey at this early age.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I do tactics on ChessBase Account, analyze my games played and watch games of grandmasters.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

Thank you ChessBase India.

3. Maitreyi Mondal (1698)

Maitreyi's laptop was Lenovo G50-80. This is her father's old laptop. It is extremely slow and has less memory

Maitreyi is the current under-13 girls national schools champion of India

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

Great ... we were very pleased to receive the high configured Lenovo Laptop.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

We will reinstall the subscribed ChessBase 17 software and Mega database for chess improvement. Further, subscribed ChessBase video courses can be reinstalled. Online class and online match practice can be smoothly done.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

We are thankful to the ChessBase India for extending their support to young chess talents.

4. R. Kashthuri Bhai (1765)

This is Kashthuri's old laptop. It would shut down during important events and most recently she lost a game in an online tournament (Queens Festival 2024). She is from Andaman and Nicobar Island and the state got stable internet in 2020. Prior to that Kashthuri and her father would go to internet cafes to study chess! Kashthuri's father a few years ago had bought the laptop through loan from the neighbours so that she could play online.

Kashthuri is the highest rated female player from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. She gained 169 Elo points at the World Junior girls right now, which just goes to show how talented she is.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I was very happy.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I will analyze my games, prepare openings, and watch games from a database.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I would really like to thank ChessBase India for supporting me, and after receiving this laptop, I really worked hard, and my performance is going well.

5. Rahul Ramakrishnan (1838)

Rahul currently uses a desktop computer. The main issue is of course portability, due to which he is unable to use it during tournaments.

Youngster Rahul Ramakrishnan is from Puducherry and finished 2nd at national under-9 championships in 2023. He is a bright future ahead of him!

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

This was a very happy moment as this was the 1st recognition in my chess career.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

Definitely, I will use it for my chess training by using through ChessBase, Lichess and Chess.com. Previously, I did not have a laptop as I was working with a desktop - that too an old one with less configuration but this one is awesome and very good configuration. It can be used for better preparation. Now I can take my laptop wherever I go.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

Thanks is the only word I can express and I will surely be grateful for your timely help.

6. Shivamshika G. (1846)

Specifications of Shivamshika's old laptop. It hangs often and hence she has to use the laptops of other students at her academy to prepare.

Shivamshika from Telangana is improving rapidly as a player. Already in her last few events, she has gained over 200 Elo points.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I am very surprised and blessed to receive this Laptop.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I will use this Laptop for my daily chess practice sessions through ChessBase, Mega Database, saving the games, game analysis, end game positions and middle game positions.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I'll use this laptop for my better future. I'm very glad to receive this and I'm very thankful to ChessBase India.

7. Marium Fatima (1905)

Marium's old laptop which was nearly 6 years old. and hangs a lot . Her keyboard doesn't work properly.

Marium with her new laptop. She is the top rated female player of Bihar, gunning to be the first WGM from the state.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I was really happy!

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I am going to use it for my preparation, playing online games for training and other things

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I'm really thankful to the ChessBase India team for sponsoring me a laptop.

8. Tapan Badamundi (1914)

Tapan comes from a region named Paralakhemundi in Odisha. He belongs to the tribal category and has never owned a laptop. He used to do all of his practice on the phone.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I and family were on cloud nine when I received the laptop because I really wanted it for long periods of time for my chess practices, as I faced a lot of problems practicing on mobile.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I and my friends too use it for our daily practices, to improve our weaknesses, and to prepare ourselves for our upcoming tournaments.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I would like to thank you for providing me with the laptop, as I wasn't able to afford it.

9. Anirudhha Potawad (2281)

Anirudhha Potawad bought second hand laptop 8 months ago. The laptop keeps hanging. Anirudhha's father gave it to repair twice, but things haven't improved.

Anirudhha with his new laptop! The boy hails from a modest financial background, but that has not stopped him from dreaming big. He is now on 2281 and moving confidently towards his IM title.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I was very happy. My parents were also very happy. I became very confident. I didn't even think about it, I suddenly got a surprise. Thanking you ChessBase India.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I prepare by installing ChessBase in laptop. In it I see annotated games and top player games. I analyze and learned a lot in it. I see the games in the Mega Database in ChessBase. I can go for deep analysis using the engine. Analyzing some of the tough positions from the book in the laptop helps me a lot.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

First of all I am very thankful to ChessBase India. I get a lot of inspiration from with this on my journey.

10. Arjun Adireddy (2306)

Arjun Adireddy's laptop was bought by his father in 2018. His main issues are that the engine slows down everything considerably, causing frequent crashes.

Arjun is an extremely talented youngster from Telangana. We could write about many of his achievements, but the most special one is definitely winning the national juniors at the age of 13.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I was very excited because, in my previous laptop I could not use the engine properly as it crashed almost every time so in the new laptop I can analyze and prepare better with the engine.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I am going to use it mainly for opening preparation, this laptop has 22 cores so the engine is much stronger than my previous laptop's engine so this helps a lot with my opening preparation. In my previous laptop I had the problem when searching for games in Mega Database it would take a lot of time to search but now I can search and get games very quickly so this saves a lot of time, so I can prepare better than before.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I would like to thank ChessBase India for providing me with the laptop. This will help me a lot in my chess preparation and taking my game to the next level. I will make very good use of it to improve my overall chess game. Thank you so much once again!

11. Apoorv Kamble (2369)

Apoorv had the Avita Essential model since 3 years. It had low RAM (4 GB) and the performance was slow. The battery had stopped working and his charger also was causing regular issues.

Apoorv Kamble has pumped up his Elo to 2369. At the recently concluded WACA simul in Bangalore, the youngster won with the black pieces against Anand, Gukesh, Pragg and Vaishali.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I was very excited to receive the new laptop with the best configuration.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I will be practicing chess more rigorously with the new laptop and ChessBase software. I can use stronger engines for better practice.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I am aiming to achieve my IM norms soon. This laptop will be of great help to me in achieving my goals.

12. Garv Gaur (2388)

Garv Gaur's laptop was 6-7 years old. He would use it during tournaments to prepare. But it would take time to start and he would lose around 10-15 minutes in it. Keeping it on sleep mode would make the laptop start faster but it would result in the machine hanging more often.

Garv Gaur was a talented youngster winning the Commonwealth Under-12 gold in 2019. The lad has lived up to his promise and is now rated 2388.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I had no expectation of receiving a call from a courier to pick up the order because the winners of the laptop giveaway had not yet been announced. I was unsure about the delivery, but when I saw the details of the box, I saw ChessBase India written on it, which thereby confirmed that it was part of the giveaway. As it came in parts (first bag, then mouse, and then laptop), I was still unsure whether I would receive the laptop or not. But as it finally came, I was very happy. I and my family were very elated that I had received the laptop. Also, I hadn't told anyone about this until I received the laptop.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

My previous laptop used to take up so much of my time and hang in between while processing powerful engines and analyzing complex positions. But with this laptop, I can already see big differences. The main factor is always, of course, 'time' and I feel this laptop would speed up my chess practice and also with pregame preparation. This would enable me to devote my extra time to other things related to chess. With its high processing power, memory, and graphics, I am able to run multiple engines at same time. and also run into huge databases easily. Also, due to its light weight and high portability, it enables me to carry it anywhere and keep up with my practice.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for choosing me for this wonderful giveaway. I was not able to keep up with my practice with my previous laptop and was thinking of purchasing a new laptop for more than a year. This giveaway proved to be a boon for my chess journey, and I feel I would be able to make the best use of this laptop.

13. Srihari L (2400)

Srihari L writes to us, "I was playing the Maharashtra open in 2022, my laptop got some serious starting troubles due to which I had to play the whole tournament without laptop. In spite of the lacklustre speed and battery problems faced by my laptop, I have managed to complete my International master title somehow by maintaining to run my laptop through service centres and also my patience level. Though this laptop has improved my tolerance level, nowadays even switching on the engine completely shuts down my ChessBase and hangs down the system completely. So for my next goal of becoming a GM (grandmaster) I would for sure require a fast working laptop with a good speed."

Srihari is the first IM from Puducherry. He is extremely dedicated and could very well become the next GM of India in a few years!

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

I was completely surprised to get the laptop at such a fast pace. I didn't expect it, to be honest. So I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to ChessBase India.

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

I will use the laptop mainly for opening preparation and stuff. I was in high need of a fast working laptop. So now I am very happy and will give my best.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

Mainly I would like to thank ChessBase India for selecting me for the laptop. This gives me immense confidence and motivation to go further towards my goals.

14. IM Mayank Chakraborty (2425)

Mayank's laptop is 3 years old and was broken from the left side due to constant travels and use.

Mayank Chakraborty is 2nd IM from North East India. He is very talented and also gunning for his GM title.

What was your reaction when you received the Laptop?

Happy Me!

How are you going to use the Laptop for chess?

Prepare my repertoire, use Engines efficiently and play online chess.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

It's slim, lightweight, compact and efficient. Highly recommended for chess players.

Note of Gratitude

A project as huge as this needs the support of so many people to make it into a reality. A huge shoutout to the following people who have played an important role in this initiative:

Supriya Bhat is the heart and soul of the HelpChess Foundation. She ensures that all the numbers are in order and everything functions smoothly.

Aditya Sur Roy went through all the applications with great care and shortlisted the most promising ones with great efforts

Ashwin Subramanian's technical help in ensuring that the laptop with the right specification was chosen to be given to the players was one of the key reasons for the success of the initiative.

And a huge shoutout to our YouTube members! Thank you for your support! You are helping us to realize our vision of "Powering Chess in India."

Become a member on the ChessBase India YouTube Channel

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