The Hindu : Sport : Negi plans to be choosy

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Friday, Aug 18, 2006

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Sport

Negi plans to be choosy

Special Correspondent

YOUNG MASTER: Parimarjan Negi at a felicitation function organised by the Delhi Chess Association on Thursday. — Photo: V.V. Krishnan

NEW DELHI: With a mature head on his slender shoulders, feet firmly grounded and eyes set on achieving greater goals and glory, 13-year-old Parimarjan Negi has his task cut out.

Even as the chess world is slowly but surely taking note of the most sensational Indian talent after Viswanathan Anand, the soft-spoken youngster finds himself "on the first step of the long-winding, spiral staircase" of his international career.

Returning home with an enviable tag of the "World's Youngest Grandmaster" after a seven-week overseas schedule that included a short training stint with British Grandmaster Nigel Short in Athens and four tournaments, it was time for the youngster to face the waiting mediapersons in the Capital.

Stupendous achievement

The occasion was the felicitation function in recognition of Parimarjan's stupendous achievement of becoming a Grandmaster in 13 years and 142 days last month. For this feat, Parimarjan was presented a cheque of Rs. one lakh by the Chairman of Parsvnath Group, Pradeep Jain.

Parimarjan's humility and gratitude, a testimony of his fine upbringing, stood out in the midst of sustained spell of speeches overflowing with superlatives.

Reading from a prepared script, the youngster dutifully acknowledged the role of every single sponsor and coach associated with him, thanked his parents, school Amity International, before seeking the blessings of all present.

Candid admission

"I was really nervous" was a candid admission from Parimarjan before being mobbed by the waiting mediapersons. "I could have done better," said the lad as he did some loud thinking at the end of a long session with the scribes.

Parimarjan, who is likely to gain about 60 points to be rated around 2540 when the next World- rating list is announced on October 1, is looking forward to the right kind of invitations in future. "Now that I don't have to chase GM norms, I can be a little choosy in my selection of tournaments. Given a choice, I'd rather avoid weak Swiss league events and prefer stronger ones since I don't have to necessarily score heavily in order to protect my rating. I wish I get some good round-robin events."

To face Lahno

Later this year, Parimarjan will face the world's youngest woman Grandmaster Katerina Lahno, in a six or eight-game match to he hosted by the Delhi Chess Association here. Parimarjan had beaten the Ukrainian girl in June this year in their only meeting. Lahno, it may be recalled, was part of the Ukraine's women's team that won the gold medal in the Turin Olympiad in June.

Parimarjan now gets ready to train with Elizbar Ubilava, former trainer of Viswanathan Anand and coach of Indian's men's Olympiad squad, for a fortnight. "From now on, it is more important to prepare well and not play as often as I've done in the recent past," said Parimarjan as he moves into the preparation mode.

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