Indian chess Grandmaster R Vaishali eyes Candidates Tournament spot; aims for consistency in 2025

Indian chess Grandmaster R Vaishali is determined to build on her success from last year as she gears up for a crucial 2025 season. Her primary focus remains on delivering consistent performances and securing a spot in the prestigious Candidates Tournament, an event that could pave the way for a potential shot at the Women’s World Championship.

The 23-year-old, who became only the third Indian woman to achieve the Grandmaster (GM) title, is keen on making her presence felt in the upcoming events. After competing in the Candidates Tournament last year, she is motivated to earn a spot once again.

“My main goal is to show consistent performance and play some good games. Of course, by the end of the year, I aim to qualify for the Candidates Tournament. I had the opportunity to play in the Candidates last year, and I hope to qualify for it again,” R Vaishali told PTI.

Her journey so far has been filled with notable milestones. Apart from securing the GM title, she played a vital role in India's gold-winning performance at the Chess Olympiad and clinched a bronze at the World Blitz Championship. However, the path hasn’t been without its share of setbacks.

“It was an important result for my confidence especially, because I had a few bad tournaments in a row and it was nice to end finally with a good result last year,” she added.

Despite her successes, Vaishali acknowledges that last year was a mix of achievements and challenges. She faced some tough tournaments that cost her valuable rating points, but she views these experiences as stepping stones for future improvement.

“I would say it was a mixed year. I achieved some good results, but I also lost some rating points. It was a very interesting experience,” she admitted.

Her recent outing at the Tata Steel Chess Challenger section saw her finish ninth, a result she believes could have been much better had she converted her chances.

“I had the chance to compete in strong round-robin tournaments and participate in prestigious events like the Candidates back-to-back challenges. Overall, last year was a great learning experience for me," she said.

“Tata Steel is a strong tournament, and I think my performance was decent. Surely I could have scored a few points more, like I had some good positions, I failed to convert them, which I’ll work on and try to improve. Going forward, I want to focus on showing more consistent performance.”

With the new season underway, Vaishali is looking forward to competing at the Norway Chess Women tournament, scheduled from May 26 to June 6. Having played in the event last year, she is eager to return and improve her performance.

“Last year was a great experience. They’re bringing in this women’s tournament, new format along with the Norway main event. And personally, I really enjoyed playing in Norway because like I’ve also got the chance to see the top players playing alongside," she said.

Vaishali is particularly looking forward to competing in the tournament’s unique Armageddon format, where drawn classical games are decided by a rapid tiebreaker.

“The format is also very different. They have the Armageddon format if you make a draw in the classical game, we go on to the Armageddon game, which I’ve never played until the last Norway event. So I’m really looking forward to that," she said.

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“A great benefit to have him” - Vaishali lauds the support of her brother Praggnanandhaa

A significant advantage for R Vaishali is having her younger brother, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, as a source of support and guidance. She often seeks his insights while preparing for major tournaments.

“He’s a strong player. So for me, it’s a great benefit to have him. He’s also very passionate about the game. So whenever I have some questions, I always go to him. And he’s very happy to discuss about the game. He’s a great support for me. Even in preparing some openings, I’ll discuss with him," Vaishali concluded.