City-based chess Grandmaster Soumya Swaminathan was in a similar situation when in the Junior World Chess final, she faced Kubra Ozturk, who she lost to in the bronze medal playoff last year.

However, on her return to Pune, she said her previous disappointment had made her committed to winning this year’s tournament and she felt no pressure. On Tuesday, she breezed past Ozturk and was crowned champion, making it a first for the city. According to Soumya, it was her change in approach that proved vital. “This year I concentrated on practicing my openings. The entire Indian team worked on this together and this helped me get good positions in the matches,” she said.

Saumya said that she was given tremendous support by the entire Indian contingent. Some players were even willing to share their opening moves with her, something that they generally keep to themselves. “This victory was a team effort,” she said.

Mrunal Kunte, wife of the city’s first grandmaster Abhijit Kunte and coach of the Indian team, said that the entire team was on edge up until the last move as the winner was declared only at the last second. “The best moment was when Soumya realised she had won the championship as her reaction was priceless. She has worked very hard for this and thoroughly deserves this honour,” she said.

When asked about the changes that she would want to take place after this feat, she answered in one word – ‘sponsorship’. She had been provided with a scholarship of Rs 5000/- by The Indian Oil Corporation for a period of three years, but the amount is nowhere close to the requirement of a grandmaster. “We require sponsorships of up to Rs 5 lakh because of the Grandmaster training and participation in foreign tournaments”, she said. At the same time she was delighted to receive an award of Rs 1 lakh from the Central Maharashtra Chess Association and Rs 21000 from the Abhijit Kunte Chess Academy.