A truly memorable first ‘blitz’ medal, says Humpy

Koneru Humpy.
| Photo Credit: File Photo

GM Koneru Humpy scripted yet another historic moment in Indian chess when she clinched the silver — the first ever by an Indian — at the the FIDE World blitz chess championships in Almaty (Kazakhstan).

“This is truly memorable as it is my first ever blitz medal. What really pleased me was the way I played on the second day after a disappointing first day,” former World rapid chess champion Humpy told The Hindu.

For the record, the fourth-seeded Humpy defeated China’s Zhongyi Tan in the 17th and final round to finish with 12.5 points and missed the gold by 0.5 points to Bibisara Balabayeva of Kazakhstan.

“After the dull first day, when I could score only five points from nine rounds, I, frankly, had no expectations on the second day. The focus was on retaining my rating. But, when I started with a win, soon everything fell in place,” she said.

“Beating some of the big names in the final rounds gave me a lot of satisfaction in terms of the high level of chess,” Humpy said. “I always believed my strength is the classical format. So, this win is truly special,” she said.

Biggest challenge

What is the biggest challenge for a classical format specialist? “In blitz the opponent’s reputation doesn’t matter. How you perform in the short time-control, react and finish off the contest are key,” the soft-spoken champion said.

“It is a fact that we Indians have lesser practice of these blitz games compared to the Europeans and Russians who are used to them at weekend and other tournaments. So, they know the art of winning better,” Humpy said.

“For me the biggest challenge is combining different aspects of life — like being the mother of five-year-old daughter Ahana, who has started school, and finding as much time on staying in touch with the sport. Never easy, of course,” she said.

“I don’t set any goals for myself. I just want to enjoy my chess to be in the right frame of mind, understand when to take a risk in a major tournament. Obviously, not pushing too much,” Humpy said.

What keeps you motivated? “Sometimes you do lose motivation in some events. But at times at prestigious tournaments, when you know the country expects a lot from you, that spurs me into thinking far beyond. I would love to keep playing as long as I enjoy the sport,” she signed off.