“Chess is a man’s world.”

For sophomore Mihika Krishnan, this isn’t just a saying.

It’s her daily reality.

From male competitors who refuse to speak with her to feeling like an outsider at every tournament, she’s left to navigate a world where odds are stacked against her at every move.

“I definitely feel like a minority at chess tournaments,” Krishnan said. “It’s really hard to socialize, as well.”

But this adversity didn’t deter her. Instead, it became one of the driving forces motivating her to prove herself.

Krishnan was in first grade when her father, Hari Krishnan, discovered her affinity for solving complex puzzles. Seeing her potential, he began teaching her chess, excited to share a major part of his childhood with his daughter.

“Growing up, I would always play with friends and daily members,” Hari Krishnan said. “It was never professional, but I’ve always been very interested in it.”

What began as a shared pastime soon became a meaningful part of their bond.

“I always wanted an exercise she could continue for the rest of her life,” Hari said. “We go to these tournaments and see players of all age ranges take part. This is a fantastic sport that keeps your brain very sharp. Miki just latched onto it.”

As the years progressed, Krishnan went to tournaments all throughout the nation.

“Most of my weekends were taken up with chess, and then there was a lot of family travel and vacations focused around chess,” Krishnan’s mother, Nupar Krishnan said. “I love traveling to tournaments with her. With every place we go, I always carry a fond memory.”

Krishnan goes to Philadelphia every summer to play the World Open. During the Christmas holidays, she goes to Vegas to play the North American Open.

However, the National Chess Championship would become the ultimate test of her skill.

In preparation, Krishnan spent hours practicing at the chessboard. “With my coach, we go over openings, work on calculation, and visualization,.” Krishnan said, “We [prepare to play] certain people and go over theoretical endgames. ”

Unfortunately for Krishnan, the tournament got off to quite a rocky start.

“In the first round, I actually did not win,” Krishnan said. “That put me really behind everyone else.”

Despite her parents’ reassurance and support, the loss continued to affect Krishnan’s confidence as the days progressed. Her mom gave her advice to help her push through.

“It’s best to not lose heart at a loss,” Nupar Krishnan said. “You should learn to handle disappointment so you can bounce back and fight back. It’s the same as life.”

Four matches later, her final match arrived — not just a test of skill, but a chance to prove she belonged on the chessboard just as much as anyone else.

“As you go from tournament to tournament, you see the same people who have been going to tournaments for years,” Krishnan said. “But my final match? No one had ever seen or heard of him; he came out of nowhere. [Earlier in the tournament], he won against one of the most popular, well-known players. I was really stressed for this round. This was the round that really determined my place in the tournament.”

Pushing her anxiety aside, Krishnan willed herself to stay calm and seated herself across from her opponent.

Back and forth, her pawn. His pawn. Her knight. His knight.

Methodically, she developed her pieces around the black and white tiles. Piece by piece, the match progressed.

And then she saw it — midway through the round, her opponent had left a piece unprotected.

“Fifteen moves in and he just gave up a piece,” Krishnan said. “But even down a piece, he was able to attack really well.”

Krishnan’s mind was overflowing with scenarios and calculations. Every piece moved either meant gaining control of the board or losing it entirely.

As the last minutes drained from the clock, her opponent drew a sigh. His shoulders slumped heavily with defeat as he uttered the words that sealed her victory.

“I resign.”

Krishnan became the third-ranked female eighth grader in the state.

“I was so happy, I felt like I was literally floating,” Krishnan said. “It felt awesome.”

Krishnan never accepted the reality that “Chess was a man’s world.” Instead, she challenged it. Now, it’s her world too.