The Thiruvallur District Chess Association is one of the better-run institutions affiliated with the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association. It regularly organises tournaments for various age groups and scores of children have benefitted from this initiative. One such girl who has shown flair for chess is 15-year-old Tejaswini G of Velammal School.
The up-and-coming chess player is touted to be the most talented one from the Thiruvallur district. She recently won the first prize in the Thiruvallur District Olympiad selection tournament and got a chance to visit the Chess Olympiad and see some of the finest chess players of the world in action.
“I was so happy that I got a chance to visit great players of the world, especially Magnus Carlsen, the current world chess champion. Watching some of the best players in action in a premier gave me a lot of inspiration. Surely the experience will come in handy and help me improve my game,” said Tejaswini.
Hobby turns passion
Tejaswini started playing chess five years ago and in a short span of time has begun making a mark.
“I started playing chess when I was 10 years old. I had an immense interest in playing chess, and that turned into a passion. The wins against my friends at school made me take chess seriously. I worked on my game and won gold medals in the standard and rapid western Asian U-12 Girls Chess Championship in 2019. In Commonwealth 2019, U-12 girls event, I bagged a silver medal. In the SGFI U-14 girls event in 2019, I secured a gold medal,” recalled the student of coaches Surendran, Sekar and Lokesh at Viyugam Chess Academy.
Surendran believes that Tejaswini has the potential to become a Grand Master, but wants her to work harder in order to go through the grind.
“Tejaswini is very strong; she is managing studies and chess well. She is only able to spend half the time that other players put in, but is equally strong. Whatever work we give her, she completes it despite her hectic schedule. She needs to practise more. As of now it’s ok, but when she is competing with the best, it won’t be enough,” he said.
Tejaswini is one of the few players who play online chess with ease and also uses technology to upgrade her game.
“I like online chess and I won first prize in the Under-14 girls online National Chess Championship and U-16 girls Online State Championship in 2021. I also use (chess) engines sometimes to prepare for the tournament,” she shared.
Medals galore
This year, she won a bronze medal in the U-17 Girls National Championship and the fourth prize in the U-19 Girls National Chess Championship. “The bronze medal helped me get selected for the Asian and World U-18 Chess Championship. The dates of these tournaments are yet to be announced,” said Tejaswini.
Like any other chess player, she too idolises five-time world champion Vishwanathan Anand and hopes that the legend in his new role as FIDE vice president will do a lot for world chess, particularly for women.
Tejaswini has her goals set — to become a world chess champion. But, studies come first. “Playing chess helps me be good at studies too. My principal Velmurugan sir and my teachers and headmasters help me a lot in academics and support my chess career also. I scored 489/500 in my class 10 board exams,” said Tejaswini, who will be seen in action in the U-15 Girls State Championship to be held in Aruppukottai from September 7 to 11 and the U-15 Girls National Championship in New Delhi from November 7 to 16.