Koneru Humpy, India’s strongest female chess player ever, is all set for a comeback after being away from the game for 15 months.
“I have now started working on my game after a long time and will be playing in a tournament soon,” she told The Hindu over phone from her residence at Vijayawada on Sunday.
She is also looking forward to playing in the Chess Olympiad to be held from September 23 at Batumi, Georgia; it will be her first since 2006. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) had on Saturday included her in the Indian team, despite her recent, prolonged inactivity.
The AICF and Humpy, the third strongest female player of all time in world chess, haven’t had the smoothest of relations over the years. Things had gone so bad the federation had once asked world governing body FIDE to take action against her.
It is good for Indian chess that both Humpy and the AICF have finally let bygones be bygones. Her presence will make India a strong contender in the women’s event at the Olympiad.
With Viswanathan Anand also returning to the Olympiad after 12 long years, the Indian men will be among the best teams at Batumi. This, in fact, will be the strongest contingent ever from India at the Chess Olympiad, the biennial team event. “I think it is great that Anand is playing at the Olympiad,” said Humpy. “I had followed his campaign at the World rapid and blitz championships at Riyadh. Winning a World title at 48 is an amazing feat.”