Gold medals to break lockdown monotony

CHENNAI: Life under lockdown can be frustrating. It can have an adverse effect on a lot of things. Right? Wrong, if you are R Vaishali. The chess player from Chennai has turned this difficult period into the most fruitful phase of her career and won gold medals as part of the Indian teams in the Online Olympiad and Asian Team Championship, besides being awarded the same medal on the top board of the continental event. Ask her about achievements and you get a reply coated in modesty, which has been a trait of most players from the city that consistently produces India’s top performers in the game of 64 squares.

“I was very satisfied with my games at the Asians. It was a great result overall. It was nice to contribute to our team effort. I am grateful to my team,” says Vaishali. For a 19-year-old, sharing team space with the likes of Viswanathan Anand and Koneru Humpy can be a huge experience and Vaishali is keen to make the most of it.

“It was great to be in the same team with Anand sir, Humpy mam and everyone else. I cherish every moment of it. This experience will propel me to give my best in the future.” Vaishali did creditably — although it didn’t fetch her a medal — in the Women’s Speed Chess Championship, where she reached the semifinals in a strong field. “That was one of my best events this year. I was able to fight against strong women players. It gave me a huge amount of confidence,” she recollects.

The BCom second year student of MOP Vaishnav College lives in an environment of chess. She is coached by the renowned RB Ramesh and her younger brother Praggnanandhaa is already an accomplished player himself. “It is nice to have a brother at home who plays chess. I prepare a lot with him. And I have been working with Ramesh sir for over six years.

He taught me how to have a systematic approach on and off the board. This helped me evolve as a player. He keeps supporting and motivating, which helps me give my best.” It’s not easy to be a player and a student at the same time. At the moment, Vaishali is preparing for online semester exams. “My college is conducting online classes everyday.

They have granted me permission regarding attendance, for which I am grateful to them.” But chess remains priority. And she has goals to pursue. “I have two International Master norms and need one more to complete the title. My aim after that is becoming a Grandmaster.” In a country where just two women (Humpy and Dronavalli Harika) have secured the Grandmaster title, Vaishali stands a good chance to fulfil her dream if she keeps improving the way she has been.