On the way to the Asian Games in Hangzhou, R Vaishali sought advice from Srinath Narayanan, expressing frustration at being stuck around the 2450 rating. Drawing from his experiences, Srinath shared insights. This conversation proved pivotal, as Vaishali, in a late-night match, strategically moved her queen to c7, compelling her opponent Tamer Selbes to resign. This win propelled her rating beyond 2500, securing her the coveted Grandmaster title. Notably, Vaishali’s recent victories include earning a spot in the Candidates tournament after triumphing in the Grand Swiss following her participation in the Asian Games.
In the aftermath of reaching this milestone, Vaishali express her joy and relief, highlighting that becoming a Grandmaster had been her goal since the beginning of her chess journey. Meanwhile, Coach R B Ramesh, currently conducting chess classes in Norway, acknowledged the significance of Vaishali’s achievement, emphasizing the rarity of women attaining the Grandmaster title on a global scale. He noted the difficulty of such an accomplishment, underscoring its exclusivity among female players worldwide.
