Just a couple of years ago, if you had spotted a group huddled around a screen on your commute, you could safely assume they were engaged in the beloved board game, Ludo. Today, however, this popular game of chance is slowly starting to give way to a more cerebral, yet equally captivating pursuit — chess. This growing passion for the game in the city, perhaps, is why ChessBase India, an organisation that promotes the game across the country, is bringing The Big Chess Summer Camp back to the city today for its second season.

Priyanka Ved, a lawyer and chess instructor, is one of the three head coaches who will oversee the gathering of novices and experts alike, assisted by an army of volunteers. Over a short call, Ved explains that the camp is far from the image of a strict, structured camp that its name might have evoked in our minds. “We do not ask the participants to come in every day and sit through long sessions led by a trainer. The camp is free for all, and participants from all walks of life can drop in, work on their game, play a good match with like-minded individuals, and leave as they want.”