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Express News Service
Kozhikode, July 4: Koneru Humpy is no stranger to records. She became the under-10 and under-12 world girls chess champion in the last two years. But on Sunday, she became the owner of an interesting record: The youngest Asian International Woman Master at 12 years, three months and four days. It could even be a world record but then in chess, facts and figures are mixed and the women's milestones were not attended to in great detail to deserve mention in the official books. All the world knows is about Judit Polgar, who became an International Master at 13-plus (which is more than a WGM in the scale of titles) and also went on to become the youngest GM at 15 later.But then Polgar had nothing to chase in women's field and so she was never an IWM and WGM. Leaving the Hungarian alone, Humpy could well be in the front in the world and her achievement could put her in a position to conquer greater heights.
The seventh standard Chalapathi Residential school student at Guntur, which takes care of her well, Humpywill be playing in the World under-12 championship this year too as she is direct seed being last years' champion. Humpy's father, Koneru Ashok, was a tournament player and coaches his daughter. Ashok feels Humpy currently needs only his classes and ``when she reaches a stage she may need quality coaches.''
This year has been special for Humpy. Three IWM norms in successive tournaments in Calcutta (Goodricke), Commonwealth (Bikaner) and National women A (Kozhikode) have put her in a position no Indian girl has found herself in. ``The Goodricke was the toughest of them,'' said Humpy.For Humpy, this was the first round robin event, though she had even played quality tournaments like the World junior in Kozhikode in 1998.
``But the difference is that in round robin, you don't get a chance again whereas in World junior and other Swiss events, you lose and you can always come back,'' said the little champion.
Curiously, Humpy, sponsored by Bank of Baroda, is the first player from Andhra Pradesh to become anInternational Master. Lanka Ravi was born in Andhra but he had moved out even before he had become an IM and P D S Girinath is yet to complete his IM title.
``When we came here, our primary objective was to complete the IWM title,'' said Ashok, who hoped his daughter's sponsors would extend the same help for furthering her career.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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