India, April 25 -- More than a millennium ago, a board game born in India travelled along the Silk Road into Central Asia before spreading to the rest of the world. Today, that ancient journey is quietly being replayed in reverse. As India and Uzbekistan emerge as two of the fastest-rising powers in global chess, the game is once again connecting the two regions, this time through diplomacy, culture, and a new generation of grandmasters.

The encounters between India's world champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov capture this moment. Their clashes in elite international tournaments are more than sporting rivalries. They reflect the emergence of Asia as a major centre of global chess and, more subtly, the revival ...