Srinagar: In a remarkable turn of events, a three-year-old girl from Srinagar— Hoor Fatima, is making waves in the chess community of Kashmir. Her astounding presence in chess has astounded many and attracted a lot of media attention.

Seeing her father and mother play chess at home piqued Fatima’s interest in the game. She took an interest in the game and had a strong mind, though she couldn’t win playing against her family. Rapid improvement allowed her to start playing with players much older than her.

In a recent development, Hoor Fatima’s extraordinary skills quickly gained the attention of local chess clubs and coaches beyond her immediate family and friends network. Currently participating in the ‘Chess For Everyone,’ FIDE-rated chess tournament from 17 to 21 February at Indoor Sports Stadium in Polo View, Srinagar, she has become the youngest player in the tournament. One hundred eight players from both local and different parts of India participated in the game.

Amongst all the chess players in the current tournament, Hoor Fatima is the youngest to participate and has secured one point out of five games that Fatima played till now in the competition.

Despite her young age, Hoor Fatima has demonstrated extraordinary dedication and focus, devoting countless hours each day to learning the game. Her incredible skill and commitment to the game have sparked interest in chess among a new generation of fans.

Several chess experts believe Hoor Fatima has what it takes to become one of the game’s all-time greats, so they’re keeping a close eye on her career. Time will tell, but it is for sure that Hoor Fatima’s star is on the rise and that her extraordinary narrative will inspire and captivate us for years to come.

Hoor’s mother, Salma Ashai, believes every child is unique and may have different interests and preferences. “Encourage your child to explore different types of games and find what they enjoy the most. The most important thing is to make it enjoyable for them.”

The tournament is being conducted as per FédérationInternationale des Échecs(FIDE)laws of Chess and the FIDE SwissSystem with nine rounds. Comrade Parvaiz, the treasurer – The Kashmir Chess Club, is the tournament director and FA Pavan and K Rathi are the Chief Arbiters.

KR Desk