Chess | Its time for a womens World champion from India: Aaron

R. Vaishali has been the toast of the chess fraternity in the country after she phenomenally broke through to win the FIDE Women’s Candidates title. The Chennai Grandmaster remains unaffected by the adulation and attention she has been receiving.

It wasn’t any different at a felicitation function got up by the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, even as she was swarmed by school children and players, and she tried to oblige every request for an autograph or selfie.

Manuel Aaron, India’s first-ever International Master, hailed the efforts of the 24-year-old, saying “we have two World champions in the men’s section and it is time for one in the women’s category too.”

“I followed all her games at the Candidates and she played very well,” mused Aaron while appreciating her show.

The 92-year-old Aaron said the win with black pieces against Aleksandra Goryachkina was fantastic and added that the game showed her strategic prowess.

Hailing Vaishali’s progress in recent times, he wished she could win the biggest prize when she takes on China’s Ju Wenjun in the championship match.

Support matters

Her coach R.B. Ramesh said it was good to see chess players receive a lot of support these days which enables them to perform at optimum level.

Responding to the felicitation, Vaishali said she had been bowled over by all the good wishes and that she would put her best foot forward in the title match later this year.

She said till the last round, five-six players had a chance to win the tournament and added that being resilient helped her come up trumps. “Maybe I was resilient. I didn’t give up in some positions. I had some worse positions but I kept defending well,” she said, thanking the State chess association for its support.