'Maintaining My Rating Is Challenging'

'There are several talented players like R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, so the future is certainly bright.'

Grandmaster Koneru Humpy closed 2024 in style winning the Women's Women Rapid Champion title in New York.

Humpy, 37, the mother of seven-year-old Ahana, has featured in the top ten in the women's category in the world for a very long time and could be described as the Mary Kom of Indian chess.

This is the second time Humpy with a rapid chess rating of 2,431 points has won the world title. She first won the championship in 2019 in Russia.

She is the second Indian to win the title after Viswanathan Anand's triumph in the Open category in 2017.

Playing with black pieces, she defeated Indonesia's International Master Irine Kharisma Sukandar in a challenging endgame, winning the title in style on the last day of the tournament.

"When I lost the first game, I was upset and didn't have the thought of winning the title. But scoring 4/4 on the second day put me into the joint lead," Humpy tells Rediff.com Contributor Venkatachari Jagannathan in an exclusive interview.

Did you think of winning the title prior to the tournament?

Yes, I had an eye on the title. But when I lost the first game, I was upset and didn't have the thought of winning the title.

But scoring 4/4 on the second day put me into the joint lead. On the last day I thought if I score 2/3, then in the tiebreak I could be the winner. However I didn't aim for the title.

But in the end I won the title outright with a score of 8.5/11. Last year I had won the Silver medal.

Has Humpy morphed into a speed chess player from a classical champion?

No. I haven't morphed into a speed chess champion from the classical format. From my childhood I have been playing both formats and have been doing well.

At the world championship classical format, I didn't shine well. Once I came second in the Candidates tournament. But in the world title cycle several factors come into play.

You ended 2024 in style.

In the 2024 Candidates, I played reasonably well and finished runner up. But the Tata Steel tournament was disastrous for me this year.

I didn't play in the Budapest Olympiad for personal reasons. In 2025 I will be playing in the Grand Prix events.

Any regrets about not being able to participate in the Budapest Olympiad where the Indian Open and Women's teams won Gold?

No regrets. I didn't play due to personal reasons.

On your plans for the World Championship title...

Already I am 37. I have to maintain my rating. It is a challenging effort. I have to stay focussed and keep playing tournaments. My family is of great support.

I leave my daughter Ahana with my parents whenever I travel to play tournaments. That gives me peace of mind. My husband Dasari Anvesh is a great supporter. He encourages me to continue with my chess.

Does Ahana play chess?

She knows the basics but is not an active player now. She is an easy going child. My father Koneru Ashok and Ahana spend a lot of time together.

She is the only person who calls my father by his name. I see a great change in my father. He was very strict with me during my childhood.

But with Ahana he is completely opposite. Perhaps grandfathers are different.

On the future of women's chess in India...

There are several talented players like R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, so the future is certainly bright.

What should the All India Chess Federation do? We have World Chess Champion Gukesh and you as the World Rapid Champion.

The AICF should organise more highly rated tournaments.

Do you have any plans of competing in the Open category?

No. That will be very challenging. One has to compete in the tournaments continuously there.

You have been in the top ten in the World Women's category and have won two World Rapid titles. Are you a brand ambassador for any products?

I have been a brand ambassador for some brands in the past. Only now are corporates looking at chess players as their brand ambassadors.

Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com