Thipsay calls costly coaching 'an unfortunate racket' as India nears 100th GM

As India nears its 100th Grandmaster, veteran GM Pravin Thipsay and GM Aaryan Varshney offered differing views on the country's burgeoning coaching industry in a report published on August 24, 2026.

Thipsay questioned the booming coaching sector, arguing that expensive training is often unnecessary and that independent thinking matters more; he called the ecosystem an "unfortunate racket".

Varshney countered that guidance remains crucial in the computer era, and the story draws on inputs from Grandmasters to examine whether aspiring players really need to hire an expensive coach to become a GM.