Young Charvi and her life around chess and puzzles

The Norway Chess Open tournament — held at walking distance from the hotel that hosts the starry GMs — is a beehive of norm-chasing chess players, ranging from age 6 to 60, and local Norwegians to Indian expats.

- Rutvick Mehta

STAVANGER: The Norway Chess Open tournament — held at walking distance from the hotel that hosts the starry GMs — is a beehive of norm-chasing chess players, ranging from age 6 to 60, and local Norwegians to Indian expats.

Unlike the main acts who are escorted for official post-game interviews and soon into the car, they all have things to do once their games are done: grab a snack, look for their chaperones, dial their parents for pickup.

Charvi A had something else in mind. Right after coming out of the hall, the 11-year-old left the water bottle with her mother, searched for her opponent and stood talking with the older man for an extended time. Why? To analyse the game.