Manuel Aaron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manuel Aaron |
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Manuel Aaron in 1962
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| Country | India |
| Born | 30 December 1935 Toungoo, Myanmar |
| Title | International Master (1961) |
| FIDE rating | 2315 [inactive] |
| Peak rating | 2415 (January 1981) |
Manuel Aaron, born on December 30, 1935, is a very important figure in Indian chess. He was the first Indian chess master in the second half of the 1900s. Manuel Aaron was the best chess player in India from the 1960s to the 1980s.
He won the Indian Chess Championship nine times between 1959 and 1981. He was also the first Indian chess player to earn the International Master title from FIDE. Manuel Aaron played a big part in bringing international chess rules to India.
Before the 1960s, Indian chess, called chaturanga, often had different local rules. For example, the king could sometimes move like a knight instead of castling. Aaron helped make the international version of chess popular. He started many chess groups and encouraged players to learn about chess openings and other official chess books.
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Manuel Aaron's Early Life and Wins
Manuel Aaron was born in Toungoo, which was then part of Burma, to Indian parents. He grew up in Tamil Nadu, India, where he went to school. Later, he earned his science degree from Allahabad University.
He won the Indian National Chess Championship nine times. This included winning five times in a row from 1969 to 1973. He also won the Tamil Nadu Chess Championship eleven times between 1957 and 1982. After his success, Tamil Nadu became a very strong state for chess in India.
Becoming an International Master
In 1961, Manuel Aaron won the West Asian Zonal tournament. He beat Sukien Momo from Mongolia. This win helped him earn his International Master title.
He also won the Asian-Australian Zonal final against Cecil Purdy from Australia in the same year. These victories at the Asian level were very important for his career.
Playing on the World Stage
His wins in Asia allowed him to play in the Stockholm Interzonal tournament in 1962. Even though he finished in 23rd place, he managed to defeat two strong grandmasters: Lajos Portisch and Wolfgang Uhlmann. This showed his skill against top international players.
In 1962, he received the Arjuna Award. This award is given to top Indian sportspeople. Manuel Aaron was the first chess player ever to receive this special honor.
Representing India in Chess Olympiads
Manuel Aaron played for the Indian team three times at the Chess Olympiads. These are big international team chess tournaments.
He was the captain of the Indian team at the Leipzig Olympiad in 1960. There, he even defeated the former World Chess Champion, Max Euwe. He also captained the team at the Varna Olympiad in 1962, where he again beat Lajos Portisch. In 1964, he played at the Tel Aviv Olympiad.
He also led India to victory in the 2nd Asian Team Championship in Auckland in 1977. He then led them to the 4th Asian Team Championship in Hangzhou, China, in 1981. In 1984, he finished fourth in the Commonwealth Championship held in Hong Kong.
Manuel Aaron's Impact on Indian Chess
Manuel Aaron grew up when chess was not very popular in India. He worked hard to make more people aware of chess. He served as the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Chess Association for many years. He was also the chairman of the All India Chess Federation.
His efforts helped chess grow in India. It took 17 years for India to have its second International Master, V. Ravikumar, in 1978. India's first Grandmaster, Viswanathan Anand, appeared only in 1988. Manuel Aaron's work laid the foundation for these future successes.
As of 2025, Manuel Aaron is still involved in the Indian chess community. He has written a book called Dubai Olympiad 1986. He also worked as a journalist for The Hindu newspaper. His son, Arvind, is also a well-known journalist.
Notable Games
- Manuel Aaron vs Max Euwe, Leipzig 1960
- Lajos Portisch vs Manuel Aaron, Varna 1962
- Wolfgang Uhlmann vs Manuel Aaron, Stockholm 1962
