What Chess Players Have in Common as per Vedic Astrology

Introduction

What do chess players have in common in their birth charts? I’m going to run through the birth charts of seven top chess players, and we are going to see what they have in common.

Theoretically, my understanding is that chess playing is directly linked to Mercury, which signifies intelligence and logical thinking. Moon must also be studied because chess is a mental sport, not a physical one. I would also take Mars into account because, in any competitive sport, you have to study the position of Mars. Then there is Ketu: for any sport, you need that killer instinct and also this sacrificing nature, where the strategy is to sacrifice for the larger good.

So in my view, these four planets—Moon, Mercury, Mars and Ketu—are theoretically directly linked to chess playing.

Ashwini and Quick Thinking

Among the Nakshatras, I find Ashwini strongly linked to chess playing. Why? Ashwini is classified as Kshipra, which translates to fast-moving.

If you have Mercury, for example, in the constellation of Ashwini, you can come up with logical chess moves quickly. You’ll have the ability to think on your feet.

Among the first nine Nakshatras, the other one that caught my attention was Mrigashira, as it’s about arriving at a logical conclusion by weighing different options. To some extent, I’ll include Mrigashira, but I’ll still stay with Ashwini as the prime Nakshatra linked to chess playing among the first nine constellations.

The other notable ones in the first nine were Pushya and Ashlesha. Pushya is directly linked to long-term planning, and Ashlesha is linked to psychological warfare, which is seen in chess playing, where you try to scare your opponent. But I would still remain with Ashwini as the prime Nakshatra linked to chess playing, given that it’s linked to quick thinking.

Anuradha, Mula and Getting to the Bottom of Things

Among the second set of nine constellations, the only one that caught my attention is Anuradha. I have earlier stated that Anuradha belongs to scientists and researchers. I’m not entirely sure it’s directly linked to chess playing. This is the only one that caught my attention; all the others have a different purpose in our life.

Among the last nine constellations, it’s Mula that has caught my attention. Mula is like an investigator and detective. Mula is all about getting to the bottom of things.

You can only do so if you weigh different options. You’ve looked at various scenarios, which is exactly what chess playing is all about. So the two constellations that have stood out to me are Ashwini and Mula, although there were others too that could have been linked to chess playing.

Theoretically, if you have Moon, Mercury, Mars or Ketu in one of these two constellations, or these planets have a relationship with one another, those positions or combinations belong to chess players. For example, Moon can be in Gemini, Mercury can be in Aries, or Mars can be in Cancer.

Garry Kasparov: Moon, Mercury, Mars and Ketu

Let’s have a look at the birth chart of Garry Kasparov. He has his rising constellation as Jyeshtha, and Moon is there.

Immediately, I see Moon having a relationship with Mercury and Mars. Moon is in the constellation, the Nakshatra of Jyeshtha, ruled by Mercury, and the sign is ruled by Mars. These are three of the four planets, in my view, directly linked to chess playing.

When the constellation is Jyeshtha, the individual is likely to have a bit of a swagger, and he was known for that. Mercury in his chart is in the sign of Aries, so Mercury and Mars here too are forming a relationship.

If you see the Navamsa chart, Moon is alongside Ketu. So Moon, incidentally, in his chart is having a relationship with all three other planets linked to chess playing, which, in my view, justifies his chess-playing skills.

Bobby Fischer: Mars, Victory and Fame

Now let’s have a look at Bobby Fischer’s chart. This is the chart that really caught my attention. The first thing I want to share is that he has Mars in the seventh house in all three charts. Although the D10 chart is not shown here, he also had Mars in the seventh in the D10.

Mars in his chart is in the constellation of Uttara Ashadha. It guarantees victory. It has been his life story that he lost the first game of a three-game chess competition and later recovered. Mars in Uttara Ashadha, firstly, guarantees success.

Earlier I’d mentioned Ashwini is a constellation directly linked to chess playing. Here I see Moon in the constellation of Ashwini, and the sign is Aries, ruled by Mars. So Moon and Mars also have a relationship.

Mercury in Dhanishta is a combination suggesting fame. Ketu in Dhanishta is another one suggesting fame. Mercury here is also having a relationship with Mars, because the constellation of Dhanishta is ruled by Mars.

So Moon–Mars, Mercury–Mars and Moon–Ashwini are indications of him having the necessary skills to excel at chess playing. The relationship continues even in the Navamsa chart. Moon is in the sign ruled by Mercury, and Mercury is in the sign ruled by Mars. Moon, Mercury and Mars continue to have a relationship in this chart. The constellation of Ashwini is also there, and Mars’s position in Uttara Ashadha is a sign of guaranteed victory.

Viswanathan Anand: Mercury in Mula

Now let’s have a look at the birth chart of Viswanathan Anand. Here I find a combination which I’ve found most common among chess players, and that’s Mercury in the constellation of Mula.

If you happen to find this combination in your chart and chess playing is in your future plans, it’s a very good combination to have, as Mercury is now having a relationship with Ketu.

The constellation of Mula is all about getting to the bottom of things and taking into account various possibilities. That’s what chess playing is all about. Mercury remains in its own sign, the sign of Gemini. So in his case, I find Mercury being very, very strong.

Moon in his chart is in Purva Ashadha. This is not the constellation I’d link to chess playing, but I do feel this combination would make him very daring. Moon, incidentally, has a relationship with Mars and Ketu in the Navamsa chart. Most importantly, Mars in his chart is in the constellation of Dhanishta, which is a sign of fame.

Magnus Carlsen and Anatoly Karpov

I’ve earlier mentioned that Mercury in Mula is commonly found among chess players. Magnus Carlsen is another example. He has Mercury in the same constellation. Moon in his chart is in the constellation of Ashwini, the same position I found in the birth chart of Bobby Fischer.

Jupiter is worth mentioning in his chart: it is in the constellation of Ashlesha. So I think his gaming style can be a bit more psychological in nature. We have found two main combinations justifying his chess brilliance: Mercury in Mula and Moon in Ashwini.

Anatoly Karpov is another chess player, the grandmaster who, as I understand it, came before Garry Kasparov made his name. He has Mercury in the constellation of Ashwini.

Moon or Mercury in Ashwini or Mula are essentially the combinations which are standing out. Where do I find Moon in this case? Moon is in Mula. So once again, we arrive at the same conclusion. Moon and Mercury, either in the constellation of Ashwini or Mula, can lead to chess brilliance. That’s what I’ve found so far.

Emanuel Lasker: The Pattern Repeats

Emanuel Lasker, the German chess player, is perhaps the least known here, as he belonged to a different generation. In his chart, again, I find Mercury in the constellation of Mula. He’s now the third chess player having that position.

Is it surprising to find that he has Moon in the constellation of Ashwini? Here’s another example of a very famous chess player who has Mercury and Moon in the constellations of Mula and Ashwini.

Gukesh: A Different Set of Skills

Gukesh’s chart, the youngest member of the list of birth charts I am studying, is very different. He has Moon in the constellation of Ardra, which incidentally falls in the sign of Gemini. So Moon and Mercury have a relationship, but Moon’s Ardra position is a sign of his unique playing style.

Mercury in Mrigashira is a sign of someone who’s a bit of a perfectionist. Mars in his chart is in the constellation of Punarvasu, which suggests that he’ll be an excellent defender.

So he brings a new set of skills, in my view, to the chess-playing world, with him having a combination which I haven’t found in the other charts.

The Combinations That Stand Out

The planets, in my view, directly linked to chess playing are mainly Moon and Mercury. Mars and Ketu should also be considered. The main constellations you need to see are Ashwini and Mula.

The other constellations that can play a part are Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Pushya, Hasta and Anuradha, although they are not as directly linked as Ashwini and Mula are.

If you happen to have Moon or Mercury in your chart in these two constellations in particular, there’s every chance that you could be a chess player, may have an interest in becoming one, or might be in a profession which requires strategic thinking and quick thinking.