Aravindh wants to emulate world no 1 Carlsen

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Cricket continues to be the first love for this Fide Master Vr. Aravindh Chidambaram, who gets more inspiration from Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni rather than world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.

However, the 13-year-old junior national champion wants to make it big in the game of 64 squares. “I like chess and cricket equally,” the playful Aravindh said.

Aravindh caused one of the biggest upsets at the national men’s premier championship in Kolkata on Monday by beating D. Barua, Anand’s contemporary and India’s second GM. Headlines in all national newspapers belonged to the giant-killer the next day. Aravindh’s talent is beyond doubt and he is one of the rising stars of Indian chess. For a player of his age, his potential is enviable.

Aravindh, a native of Madurai, lost his father at a tender age and is being raised by his mother Vr. Deivanayagi, who is an LIC agent. “Aravindh’s father liked cricket a lot. The son is no different. When Aravindh badgered his 84-year-old grandfather one day to play cricket with him, he taught the nine-year-old boy chess and that’s how the mind game was introduced to my son,” said Deivanayagi.

“Since his grasping power was impressive, we decided to seek professional guidance in coaching,” she added. The young boy started with weekly lessons from coach Prasad and when he began winning prizes, his mother moved him from TVS School to Dolphin Public School, which supports chess players with free education. Aravindh was also put under the tutelage of Ghouse Kamardeen. Currently, the Madurai lad is training under GM R. B. Ramesh.

The progress of the teenager has so far been exemplary. At 13 years of age, Aravindh has already won the national junior event, which is a launch pad for youngsters to reach the senior level. “Aravindh has a very good playing style. He will surely scale greater heights,” said grandmaster B. Adhiban.

The list of achievements is growing bigger with every passing year for Aravindh. While he is the youngest national junior champion — he achieved the honour when he was 12 — the eighth standard student recently tied for joint first at the Asian U-13 championship and it helped him bag the coveted Fide Master title.

Ask Aravindh about his favourite player and he starts raving about Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen, who at 19 years reached the top spot in world chess. “I like former world champion Garry Kasparov as well. But Carlsen is my favourite,” he said.