Chess Olympiad 2022: Making every move on the board matter, says Vaishali Rameshbabu

CHENNAI: Chennai, called the mecca of Indian chess, is gearing up to host the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022, for the first time from July 28 to August 14. Over 2,000 players from more than 200 countries are expected to participate.

Among the 20 players representing India and competing at the event is city’s own Vaishali Rameshbabu. She holds the prestigious Woman Grandmaster title and recently became the 10th woman player from the country to win the International Master title. Sparing a few minutes off the board, Vaishali, who’s currently playing at an open tournament in Austria, gets candid. 

Excerpts:

How are the preparations going on for the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad?
The first camp by the All India Chess Federation concluded recently. We were blessed to be trained under legends like Boris Gelfand and Viswanathan Anand. This will be my first over-the-board Olympiad. I am excited and looking forward to it.

Do multiple successes overwhelm you? 
Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand sir has been my inspiration on and off the board. Even after winning five world championships, he is still growing stronger. His hunger to learn and be humble and grounded is something I admire. I want to be like him. 

What’s your most memorable game? 
There are many! The one that comes to mind is when I won my must-win game to get the first Grandmaster norm at Xtracon Open 2019 Denmark.

Are we making the best use of chess talents in Tamil Nadu? 
Chess talents in our state are recognised and encouraged by giving cash awards. Chess is being introduced in many schools. We are moving in the right direction. There’s also monetary support from the government for players to take part in international games.

What does chess mean to you?
Chess is an art, it’s just so beautiful! I ensure I go to a temple before travelling for any tournament. 

How do you describe the bond you share with your brother Praggnanandhaa? Do you feel the pressure given that he’s a Grandmaster? 
Our discussions revolve a lot around chess. I don’t have the pressure at all as Pragg is a big support. He helps me with preparation during the tournament. We discuss what openings to play. There’s a lot of knowledge sharing. 

Titles to treasure

2012-16
Vaishali won the Girls’ World Youth Chess Championship for Under-12 in 2012 and Under-14s in 2015. In 2016, she received the Woman International Master (WIM) title. As of October 2016, she is ranked second in India and the world’s no 12 girls U16 player. At that time, she had an Elo rating of 2300.

2018-22
She became a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) by completing her final norm in the Riga Technical University Open chess tournament in Riga, Latvia on August 12, 2018. She received her International Master (IM) title in 2021. In 2022, Vaishali won the 8th Fischer Memorial, scoring 7.0/9 and winning her second Grandmaster norm.