Shreyas Royal: A Young Grandmaster’s Journey with Indian Coach Swayams Mishra
Shreyas Royal, the UK’s youngest Grandmaster, has sought guidance from Indian coach Swayams Mishra to enhance his chess skills. The 15-year-old from London is currently visiting India for a three-day training camp with Mishra in Bhubaneswar.
Royal’s pursuit of his final GM norm led him to Mishra, who shared his experience of waiting nearly three and a half years for his own GM norm. The young prodigy has been working with Mishra online for the past year, but this in-person camp provides a deeper level of coaching.
“There’s so much you can tell as a coach from just the body language of a student sitting across you,” said Mishra, India’s 62nd GM.
Royal recently faced off against Viswanathan Anand at the WR Masters in London, taking half a point from the legendary Indian chess player. While he lost the match, Royal gained valuable insights into the level of competition he needs to reach.
“I’m quite careless, even a bit lazy at times,” admitted Royal. “These mistakes don’t happen when I’m playing well. Swayams spotting it and getting me to work on it is good.”
Mishra believes that Royal has a solid foundation and a calculative approach to chess. However, he identified areas for improvement, particularly in opening preparation and psychological resilience.
“Swayams has been of huge psychological help, especially when it comes to me having the right mindset,” said Royal. “He’s also opened my eyes to opening preparation. It’s fair to say he’s not just a trainer, he’s a mentor.”
Royal’s visit to India has also given him a glimpse into the dedication and support that young Indian chess players receive. He believes that if his family had stayed in India, his chess journey might have been different.
“I think I’d still be successful as a player,” said Royal. “Hard to say to what degree.”
Royal plans to spend the rest of his India trip at his maternal home in Rourkela, where he will enjoy the open fields and play with his cousins.
