The Indian men’s hockey team is once again proving to be a symbol of sporting innovation in India through a fresh and unexpected training method. Chief coach Craig Fulton, known for his unconventional yet effective strategies, has introduced chess into the locker room to enhance his players’ strategic thinking and decision-making speed.
Fulton, who has earlier surprised his team with adventurous activities such as surfing lessons and mountain climbs during overseas tours, has now turned his focus to the cerebral side of the game. A special chess masterclass was organized at the SAI campus in Bengaluru, featuring former international chess player Prachura P. Padakannaya. The session explored the deep parallels between the ancient board game and the high-speed dynamics of modern hockey.
The idea behind this initiative is simple. Chess, a game of thought and anticipation, trains the mind to think faster and more strategically. “Hockey moves incredibly fast. In that short amount of time, a player has to react and think quickly on their feet,” Padakannaya explained. “The objective here is to sharpen quick thinking and tactical depth.”
As the masterclass unfolded, curiosity and enthusiasm filled the room. Players eagerly drew comparisons between their sport and chess, even discussing Indian prodigy D. Gukesh’s recent World Championship triumph. They noted that controlling the center of the chessboard mirrors maintaining dominance over the midfield in hockey.
Fulton highlighted this strategic connection during the session. He said that every game, whether on a board or a field, follows a structure built on anticipation and execution. “If you start with the wrong setup in chess, you open yourself up,” he said. “It is the same in hockey. We must start strong, manage the middle game with intelligence, and finish the endgame with power.”
He further elaborated on how the phases of chess reflect those of hockey. The opening in chess aligns with the start of a hockey match, where establishing the right structure is essential. The middle game, full of tactical exchanges, mirrors the midfield battle. The endgame, where precision and control decide the outcome, resembles the final quarter of a match where finishing strong is non-negotiable.
The players embraced the new approach wholeheartedly. Midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad, one of the first to challenge the chess master to a friendly game, admitted that while hockey players usually think two or three moves ahead, chess players think seven or eight. “That’s what we need to learn,” he said. “Quick thinking, anticipation, and sharper reactions are what I’m taking from this session.”
The initiative reflects Craig Fulton’s commitment to holistic development and innovative coaching. Under his leadership, the Harmanpreet Singh-led side has embraced physical endurance, mental sharpness, and emotional intelligence as equal pillars of success. By blending the logic of chess with the speed of hockey, Fulton is equipping his team to read the game better, anticipate opponents’ moves, and react with confidence.
This fusion of mind and motion could become a model for future sports training in India. By adding a strategic layer to their preparation, the Indian hockey team is not just improving its tactical depth but also redefining how modern coaching can integrate creativity with competition. Fulton’s experiment proves that in sports, as in chess, victory often belongs to those who think several moves ahead.
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