Chess, one of the world's oldest games, originated in India over 1500 years ago. It spread to Iran and then to Southern Europe, where modern chess took shape. The game involves two players, each commanding an army of pieces on a checkered board with the objective of checkmating the opponent's king.

Rani Hamid, a 82-year-old Bangladeshi chess player, has been making headlines with her recent victory in the 9th round of the Budapest Chess Olympiad. As the first female International Master from Bangladesh, she has been representing her country on the global stage for nearly 40 years.

Her love for chess began in childhood, inspired by watching her father play with friends. Despite being a talented badminton player and athlete, chess remained her true passion. Rani's professional chess career began after her marriage, encouraged by her husband's enthusiasm for sports.

She enjoys the game and approaches it with a carefree attitude. She doesn't focus on her opponents and simply plays for fun. Rani has defeated British players multiple times, becoming a five-time champion. Beyond national women's tournaments, Rani has also competed in national-level chess tournaments. Notably, she was the fifth woman to qualify for the national men's team in the Chess Olympiad. As of 2006, she had won the national women's chess championship 15 times.

Rani Hamid won a gold medal for Bangladesh in the Commonwealth Chess Championship in 2015. Her achievements have brought immense pride to Bangladesh, and she is now a revered figure in the world of chess.