8×8 Chess Academy

♟️ About 8x8 Chess Academy

8x8 Chess Academy is a chess training and tournament organization based in Pune, Maharashtra, India. The academy operates from its head office in Bavdhan and has developed a wider presence across Pune through activity in areas including Baner, Dhanori, Khadki, and Wakad. Its work combines structured chess education with the organization of competitive over-the-board events, including tournaments submitted for national and international rating. The academy provides chess coaching for developing players through group, individual, offline, and online formats. Its programs cover players at different stages, from beginners learning fundamental principles to stronger juniors preparing for tournament competition. Alongside training, 8x8 Chess Academy regularly creates competitive opportunities in Pune and has organized rapid, blitz, and classical events, including large FIDE-rated tournaments. The academy was founded by FI Shashikant Maktedar, who remains a central figure in its tournament activity and serves as Tournament Director for the Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival 2026. The festival is scheduled for December 24–29, 2026 at EuroSchool Wakad and brings together separate FIDE-rated Classical, Blitz, and Rapid tournaments. It represents the academy’s most ambitious published event for 2026, with a combined advertised prize fund of ₹800,000.

🎓 Chess Training and Player Development

8x8 Chess Academy places player development at the center of its work. Its coaching structure is designed to help young players progress from basic chess knowledge toward competitive play, while individual instruction provides a more focused route for students who require personalized preparation. The academy also uses online training alongside its physical centers. This allows players outside a single Pune neighborhood to participate in coaching while maintaining the academy’s strong local presence across the city. Tournament participation forms an important part of this development model. Players are encouraged to move from training into competitive chess, giving them practical experience with tournament preparation, time management, and rated competition.

🏆 Tournament Activity

The academy has established itself as an active tournament organizer in Pune. Its events include local competitions as well as larger tournaments conducted within the Indian chess federation structure and submitted for FIDE rating where applicable. A major step in this activity was the 1st Pune International Speed Chess Festival 2025, held on December 6–7, 2025 at SNBP Wakad Learning Center. The festival featured separate FIDE-rated Rapid and Blitz tournaments. The Rapid tournament attracted 593 players, while the Blitz tournament had 391 players. The event therefore demonstrated the academy’s capacity to manage tournaments involving several hundred competitors, a substantial organizing team, arbiters, registration staff, and venue coordination.

⚡ Pune International Speed Chess Festival 2025

The 2025 festival combined a nine-round Rapid tournament with an eleven-round Blitz competition. CM Prathamesh Sherla won the Rapid event on tie-break after scoring 8/9, while CM Shlok Sharnarthi won the Blitz tournament with 9.5/11. The event was directed by FI Shashikant Maktedar, with IA Atharva Godbole serving as Chief Arbiter. The published tournament organization also included dedicated teams for registration, technical matters, venue coordination, accommodation, and arbiting support.

🌟 Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival 2026

The academy’s principal announced tournament for 2026 is the Pune Grand Slam Chess Festival 2026, scheduled at EuroSchool Wakad in Pune. The festival consists of three separate FIDE-rated competitions. The Classical tournament runs December 24–28, the Blitz tournament is scheduled for December 27, and the Rapid tournament for December 29. Each event is a nine-round Swiss tournament. The published time controls are 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move for Classical, 3+2 for Blitz, and 15+5 for Rapid. FI Shashikant Maktedar is Tournament Director, while IA Atharva Godbole is Chief Arbiter. The organizer advertises a combined prize fund of ₹800,000, making the festival a significant expansion from the academy’s 2025 speed-chess event.

🏛️ Organization and Leadership

FI Shashikant Maktedar is the founder of 8x8 Chess Academy and serves as its principal tournament organizer and Tournament Director for major academy events. He is also a FIDE Instructor. The academy’s tournament operations are supported by a broader organizational team. For the 2025 International Speed Chess Festival, Shweta Maktedar served as Organizing Chairman, while additional officials handled registration, technical matters, arbiting, venue coordination, and player services.