LUCKNOW:
Chess
prodigy
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa
is confident that one day India will rule the world as Indian players are going strong. Talking to TOI on the sidelines of the
Times of India Sports Awards
(
TOISA
) ceremony, he spoke about his success, strategy and the sibling bond.
Excerpts:
Last year, in the FIDE World Cup, Magnus Carlsen (33) played the first two days of the final cautiously, aiming for draws with white.
Back then, what was going on in your mind? Were you thinking a lot more than usual, and burned up too much clock time to crack Carlsen’s moves?
I was very happy to reach the final, which ensured the qualification for the FIDE index. I wanted to give my best and win the World Cup as it was a unique opportunity to reach the final. For Magnus, it was the first time he had reached the Cup final. We both were quite exhausted after the long event. I had played a lot of play-offs to reach the final. Magnus’s path to the final was also not easy, but he didn’t have to play too many play-offs. We had two solid draws and then we went for tie-breaks. We both played well, but things didn’t go well for me that day.
As grandmaster brother-sister duo, how do you two complement and compete against each other? What’s your bond like?
Vaishali and I discuss games. There is no competition or comparison between us. We play different games but we learn from each other’s mistakes and games. This helps us to understand what the opponent could do in the game and how we can counter it. We are like normal siblings. We fight and argue too on a regular basis.
What do you like to eat and what do you do when not playing chess?
Any cuisine which is Indian. During my free time, I play badminton with friends.
In the era of social media, how do you manage to remain focused on chess? Do you have screen time?
Chess requires screen time. I often practice on computers. I do use social media platforms like X (Twitter) to keep myself updated about the things happening around the world. During tournaments, I don’t spend time on social media because it could affect what others feel or say about you.
The future of Indian chess?
It is quite possible that India will rule the world of chess. There are many strong players like Gukesh and many others who are doing well. I am also putting in my best efforts.
English (US) ·