HYDERABAD: World No. 2 Koneru Humpy might miss next month's Doha Asian Games if the Indian Olympic Association doesn't react in time and let her mother accompany her there.

India will be fielding GMs K. Sasikiran, P. Hari Krishna and Humpy for the Games.

The guidelines in Doha are very strict about separate accommodation for women and men or else she could have taken her father and coach Koneru Ashok.

Humpy (Elo 2545), however, is going ahead with her preparations having already undergone a two-week rigorous training under Ashok with emphasis on improving her middle-game tactics.

Israel's GM Lev Pshakhis's coaching camp for the three-member Indian team began in Chennai on Sunday. The two-time former Soviet Champion is believed to be a specialist in novelties and was picked by the All India Chess Federation specially for the Asian Games. Humpy will join the camp on November 21.

Humpy, now an ONGC officer, seems to be expecting that the IOA will allow her to take her mother as some of the star athletes get that facility.

Magnificent win

Fresh from her magnificent victory over former World champion Anatoly Karpov in the Capdagde Rapid World Cup in France recently, Humpy's confidence level for the Asian Games is pretty high.

"It was a memorable win in just 24 moves in Queen's Gambit Accepted variation," she recalled. That she could land the seasoned campaigner and famed rival under time pressure and consequently force him to quit, after what looked to be a comfortable position on the board in the middle-game, gave Humpy immense satisfaction.

The effort earned the Vijayawada girl rich compliments from Karpov. "I am impressed by your theoretical understanding of the board," he told Humpy.

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