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Asian women's meet from today

By P. K. Ajith Kumar

Photo: Ramesh Kurup

Zhao Xue of China (left) making a move against Kozhikode Mayor, Thottathil Ravindran, during the opening ceremony of the Asian women's chess championship at Kozhikode on Saturday.

KOZHIKODE AUG. 16. They fly planes. They discover new things. They write poetry. They lift weights. They head corporate houses. They play soccer. They do surgeries.

Ladies play chess too. And at least one of them — a pretty woman called Judit Polgar from Budapest — is better than most male chess players of the world (she's ranked among the world's top-10 men players). And in this bustling Northern Kerala port city, as the monsoon is fast relenting, 38 players from seven countries have assembled for what promises to be an exciting Asian women's championship, which gets underway here on Sunday.

S. Vijayalakshmi, a gutsy young woman from Chennai, finished second in the Commonwealth men's championship in Mumbai last April. Another gifted Indian girl, Koneru Humpy, the top seed here with 2468 Elo points, ruffled many a male ego when she became the runner-up at the National men's `B' championship in Nagpur a few days ago. And she's won the Asian and National championships for boys too. Yet another talented girl from India, Swati Ghate, made history in 2000 when she became the first woman to qualify for the National men's `A' championship.

These three wonderfully talented Indian girls may not be in Judit's league but they are among the finest players this country has ever seen. All of them are in good form as they get ready to make their opening moves on Sunday in the strongest Asian women's championship ever.

The Indian challenge does not, however, stop with them. There's Aarthie Ramaswamy, the 22-year-old Woman Grandmaster (WGM) who is India's current National women's champion and a former World under-18 champion.

WGM aspirants

Nisha Mohota had done better than Aarthie in the last edition of this meet. She began sensationally and was threatening to run away with the title when China's Li Ruofan, who went on to win the crown and who's very keen to defend it here, stopped her. The 22-year-old, ever-smiling Kolkatan had to eventually settle for the bronze. She would be looking forward to completing her WGM title as she needs one more norm.

So does Swati Ghate, who made her second norm at the British championship in Edinburgh a fortnight ago. She had also made a maiden men's IM norm there. ``It was a good performance,'' she recalled, ``and but for a poor finish, I would've done much better.''

Vijayalakshmi had an excellent finish at the Commonwealth championship in Mumbai. All her opponents in the last four rounds were male Grandmasters (GMs). She drew with the first two and beat the others. Twice silver medallist at the Olympiad, this 24-year-old Chennaiite is one of the best fighters in Indian chess.

The tournament, to be played over nine Swiss rounds, is also a qualifying event for the World championship; 12 berths are available from this meet. Besides, the champion will get the WGM title directly. And there are, of course, the norm chances. Like Swati Ghate and Nisha, Vijayalakshmi's younger sister Meenakshi and former champion Bhagyashree Thipsay have also got two WGM norms each.

India has entered 19 players, virtually a who's who in domestic women's chess. Among them are 12-year-old D. Harika, seeded ninth and the fastest improving player in the country who could be the dark horse of the tournament, Y. Prathiba, fresh from her triumph at the Asian junior championship in Sri Lanka last month, Anupama Gokhale, who has won this title twice, and promising teenagers Tania Sachdev and Eesha Karvade.

The tournament was inaugurated on Saturday evening by Kozhikode Mayor Thottathil Ravindran. District Collector T.O. Sooraj, Chief Arbiter Abdul Hameed Majeed from Malaysia, Malayala Manorama Resident Editor K. Aboobacker and All Kerala Chess Federation president John Joseph spoke on the occasion. All of them mentioned the absence of organising secretary and FIDE vice-president P.T. Ummer Koya, who has gone to Nigeria to attend a FIDE meeting.

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