Celebrating Chess, Learning and Community Spirit

The Slough Branch of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (UK) organised its first-ever Chaturanga Chess Tournament on Sunday, 19 July 2026, bringing together 38 participants for a day of friendly competition, learning, and community connection.

The event marked an important milestone for the local community and provided an inclusive platform for people of different ages and levels of experience to discover or develop their interest in chess.

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (UK), commonly known as HSS (UK), is a voluntary cultural and community organisation that promotes personal development, family values, community service, and active citizenship across the United Kingdom. Its activities include sport, cultural education, physical wellbeing, and opportunities for families and individuals to learn, participate, and build meaningful community connections.

Encouraging New Participants

The tournament attracted 38 players, with almost half being either new to the local HSS (UK) community or returning after a long absence. Most participants were beginners, creating a particularly welcoming atmosphere for those who were relatively new to competitive chess.

Each participant played five rounds using a 10-minute time control with a two-second increment. This format gave everyone multiple opportunities to play, learn from each game, and develop their skills in a friendly and supportive environment.

Throughout the day, the emphasis was not simply on winning but also on sportsmanship, learning, perseverance, and enjoyment.

A Well-Organised Tournament

The competition was conducted using physical chess boards and digital chess clocks, with an online chess-pairing platform used to manage pairings, rankings, and final results.

The combination of traditional boards with modern tournament technology allowed the event to run smoothly while retaining the social and personal nature of face-to-face chess.

The success of the tournament was made possible by the collective efforts of numerous members of HSS (UK) who volunteered their time and energy to plan, organise, and deliver the event.

Chaturanga: Chess with an Indian Heritage

Following the tournament, the regular community programme continued with a talk by Bharat Mistry, a senior HSS (UK) volunteer leader for the West London region.

The session explored the importance of games and sport in personality development, as well as the fascinating Indian heritage of chess.

Chess is widely understood to have developed from an ancient Indian strategy game known as Chaturanga, whose name refers to the four divisions of an army: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. Over centuries, the game evolved and spread beyond India, eventually developing into the form of chess played around the world today.

This history provided participants with an opportunity to look at chess not only as a game of strategy but also as part of India’s long intellectual and cultural heritage.

More Than a Game

The discussion also highlighted how chess can help develop qualities such as concentration, strategic thinking, patience, discipline, problem-solving, and decision-making.

These qualities are valuable far beyond the chessboard. Learning to consider different possibilities, anticipate consequences, remain patient under pressure, and make thoughtful decisions can contribute to personal development in everyday life.

For HSS (UK), activities such as chess are also an opportunity to bring together cultural learning and character development in an enjoyable and accessible way.

Building Friendships Through Competition

The friendly atmosphere, enthusiastic participation, and overwhelmingly positive feedback demonstrated the success of the inaugural tournament.