Nimmy earns coveted wim chess title

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For five months, Kerala’s women chess champion Nimmy A. George has been ruing a lost chance she had in Chennai. It was not until Thursday that she finally got her opportunity to get over that disappointment.

She faced Hungarian Grand Master Attila Czebe in the 10th round of the Mayor’s Cup International Open in Mumbai and Nimmy was in the least worried, for, irrespective of the game’s result, her much-awaited Women International Master title was confirmed.

Nimmy collected 7 points from 9 rounds, scoring upset victories against two IMs. In the process, the 24-year-old earned her third and final norm for the WIM title. She became the first Malayali to be honoured with the title.

In January this year, Nimmy came very close to earning the title in the Chennai GM Open, but she let the opportunity slip away.

Needing a point from the last two rounds against comparatively lower rated opponents, she lost both the rounds.

Nimmy later said she was nervous and perhaps it was the thought of achieving something not done before that played in the back of her mind and spoiled the moment. “I will get another chance, but not like the ones I lost,” she had said after that Open.

However, she has finally done it and the reaction was immediate. Known for her defensive style of play, Nimmy however, produced a stylish attacking game against GM Attila.

Though she was a piece down in the 13th move, Nimmy’s counter-attacks gave some tough time for the Grand Master. She resigned after 57 moves, but only after playing a game matching the class of a WIM.