27/05/2022
Goodbyes make you think. They make you realize what you’ve had, what
you’ve lost, and what you’ve taken for granted. What we had was one of
the strongest players across all IITs, an encyclopedia of chess, and above
all a great senior.
This post is about Utkarsh Dubey (Utkarsh Dubey), Mechanical Engineering batch-2017. He
was the captain of the club for the year 2019-20. In many ways he is the
godfather of this club, seeing it transform from a small obscure Club of 7-8
people to one of the most performing clubs of the Council in the last few
years. Besides, he is also the one who named the club – Petrosian’s
Legacy, after one of his favorite players whose books and photos you can
see lying around his room.
Over the years his playing style changed as he grew from an attacking
player who loved to sacrifice to a more solid and positional master. His
knowledge of the game surpasses any player on the circuit-chances are if
you ask him about the Fischer vs Spassky match, he would play the moves
out for you. Beyond all this, he is a true lover of chess at heart and can be
seen engaging with his juniors and colleagues over various lines and
positions. He is benevolent in his demeanor to the newcomers, accepting
everybody who loves the game and imparting his knowledge without bias.
He set the tone for us through his success in various tournaments like
winning consecutive Gold medals in Spardha 2019-20 and 2021-22 or
leading the team to its best performance in the Inter IITs in 2019 or winning
the Kasparov Cup or his latest – runners up in the Collegiate Chess
League, I can go on and on but you realize what a force he has been on
the chessboard over the years.
Despite all these achievements, he is a really humble and supportive
senior. We can recall our conversations where he advised us about life in
general and helped us with decisions be it career-related or chess-related,
just like an elder brother. He is an inspiration for many of us for his
dedication and enthusiasm for the game.
Now, with the end of his college days, it is hard to bid him goodbye, but all
good things must come to an end. We will cherish the memories and
remember the lessons. Good Luck for your future and Farewell!