Introduction on Youngest Female Chess Player
Koneru Humpy is known as the youngest female chess player who has achieved the “Grand master” title. Chess, this word holds a very deep meaning. It is a game of intelligence and only played by sharp-mind players. The chess board is of grid pattern with 64 squares, consist of eight pawns, one king and one queen, two knights, bishops and two rooks. International chess platform has been governed by “The International Chess Federation” (FIDE). Humpy has received Padma Shri award on 23rd of March, in 2007 from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapati Bhavan. She is the only child of Koneru Ashok and Latha Ashok and also married to Dasari Anvesh in the year 2014. Humpy was born on 31st March 1987, and brought up in Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada. She was inspired by her father, while watching her father to play the chess game with great dedication. In the year 1993, she was a district champion and further has won the national chess championship in the year 1995.
Humpy’s career graph
Humpy has started her journey from her childhood, but from 1997, she has taken a step towards the World Championship and has won gold medals, she has competed with boys under-12 section. In 2000 and 2002, she has won the British Women’s Championship, her career graph was at the peak level. From the year 2004 to 2010, she has qualified in the semifinals thrice in the Women’s World Chess Championship. In 2011, she has achieved the second position in The International Chess Federation (FIDE). From the year 2011 to 2021, she has acquired the runner-up position in FIDE Women’s Grand Prix. After taking two years maternity leave, she came back with more energy and received a BBC Indian Sportswoman award.
Koneru Humpy’s Performances
She has become the WIM (Woman International Master) in the year 1999 and WGM (Woman Grand master) in the year 2001. Humpy has won Bronze in 2012 at Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship. In 2019, she has won three best positions for Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship, Skolkovo Women’s Grand Prix and Monaco Women’s Grand Prix. Also in the year 2020, she has won Gold medal at Online Chess Olympiad (FIDE), though 2020 was a hectic and pathetic phase for everyone because of the Coronavirus Disease. This has effected all the human beings, either physically or mentally. Coming back to Humpy’s achievements, she has achieved silver medal from Speed Chess Championship and gold from Cairns Cup. In 2021, again she has won bronze at Online Chess Olympiad (FIDE). And currently, in 2022 she has achieved silver medal from World Blitz Chess Championship only for women, bronze medal from 44th Chess Olympiad.
Humpy’s Award list
Humpy has won many awards like Padma Shri, India’s Youngest Woman Grand master, Arjuna Award, also she has achieved the title “Asia’s Youngest Woman International Master”. In the year 2019, she has achieved two grand awards, one is Monaco Women’s Grand Prix, another is Skolkovo Women’s Grand Prix. Awards like Cairns Cup, Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship and BBC Indian Sportswoman, all these huge tributary awards has been given to Koneru Humpy. In 2018, she played the Chess Olympiad and ranked 8th position.
True facts of Humpy’s life journey
After so many attempts, Humpy was the one to set a new world record by beating Judith Polgar’s 15 years record, she became the youngest player to receive a huge title which is a Grandmaster title, among all the men.
There is another inspiring story of Humpy, when she was playing the Women World Rapid Chess Championship, in the year 2019. The first game was with Ekateria Atalik of Turkey and Lei Tingjie of China. But after a tiebreak with the Chinese player Lei Tingjie, later on she fixes a goal to win the match, and after a long wait of twelve rounds and also when the game was tied between Lei Tingjie and Ekaterina Atalik, at that moment the game has changed its path, and with a lot of efforts and encounters, Humpy make a comeback and achieved the Grand master title after winning the match.
Conclusion
Checkmate is not always a win for a chess player, sometimes with mutual consent, one can draw the match. Chess is a game of black and white thinking skill. This game guides an individual to deal with critical situation, solving a problem with true motive. It is not just a game, it is a life lesson for every individual. This game teaches us to grow up more maturely, so that, one cannot defeat us by silly and wrong steps. And also, it teaches thinking calmly while taking a vital step in one’s life. Though, from Koneru Humpy’s life story, there is a brief conclusion that, dedication and focus are the two basic principles of Humpy’s life. After her pregnancy stage, she came back with a new charm and has won many awards and medals. Her only motive was to brush up her knowledge and to explore it at the right place. From a writer’s view point, Koneru Humpy is just like a never ending sea waves.
By: Aabruti Chakraborty
Write and Win: Participate in Creative writing Contest & International Essay Contest and win fabulous prizes.