When RCB's Shreyanka Patil took to 64 squares with American Gambits

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 8 : On a day that culminated the F1 grand finale, with sports buffs turning up to cheer for their favourite drivers, the RCB Bar and Cafe was abuzz with not just F1 fans but also city's chess enthusiasts who beelined into the city's only franchise-driven pub to engage in a unique exchange of sporting camaraderie.

With the RCB women's side's most popular Bengaluru star, Sheryanka Patil, in attendance, the RCB Bar and Cafe extended their sporting spirit beyond the cricket stadium, with over 100 chess enthusiasts showing up for a fun evening of 'Chess and Chill' hosted by American Gambits, a Global Chess League (GCL) franchise.

In a never-seen-before avatar, Shreyanka donned her thinking cap, to play a chess match against former international player Prachura PP, also the co-owner of American Gambits - that had the entire audience in rapture - while DJ Blaque belted out popular numbers that kept the energy of the evening live and upbeat.

Shreyanka said as quoted in a press release, "Firstly, I was very nervous because if you put me on a cricket field, I know what to do. I know I am going to actually come out of any situation."

"But for the past two days, I have been practicing playing chess on my iPad constantly. Even when I go to bed, I am like, okay, let me just win."

Giving 120 per cent in everything, is something Shreyanka has learnt from the legend himself, Virat Kohli and that is what she applied in this new challenge of playing chess. "For me, I think no matter what, I have to give my 120 per cent, because 100 per cent is something people use but the 120 per cent does come from Virat (Kohli), so I would love to mention that because you have to give that extra push at times."

On her home franchise's support extending beyond the cricket field to other sports, Shreyanka said, "I think it is again like a family sport is one agenda, but under sport there's so much. You have to support every sport, I feel, because now sports in India have grown immensely.

"People knew only cricket as the go-to sport in India, but now you can see Kabaddi being a big sport, chess being a big sport."

She also elaborated about the Gukesh effect in the sporting world.

"People are talking about youngsters like Gukesh (the Chess world champion) he's the youngest player who is shining on the world stage. It is refreshing to know that other sports are actually making their names at the top. And if cricket can support, why not?"

RCB's legacy from pitch to people's everyday social life came to the fore on Sunday with the coming together of two sports - cricket and chess. "This was a first-of-its-kind association between chess and cricket, American Gambits is proud of this association. There is so much we can learn and exchange between the two sports," expressed Prachura.

The American Gambits features World No.2 Hikaru Nakamura in their squad, and he will take on India's chess sensation and reigning world champion D Gukesh in their opening match on Sunday, December 14.

"As we are geared up for the Global Chess League starting next week, there could not have been a better way to kick off our campaign than the Chess and Chill event we organised along where we had over 100 chess players participate. It was also wonderful to have RCB cricketer Shreyanka Patil join us and play some chess too."

Chess is a sport that can benefit athletes from different disciplines, and it is fantastic to see RCB extend their support to sports beyond cricket," Prachura concluded.

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