Chennai's Raahul tops direct-title event, wins Grandmaster norm

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has produced its 36th Grandmaster, with 22-year-old Raahul VS from Chennai earning the prestigious title through an uncommon route. Earlier this year, the FIDE handbook introduced revisions to its title regulations, allowing direct titles from select tournaments — one of which was the ASEAN Individual Open Chess Championship Governor Henry S Oaminal Cup.

Raahul topped this event in convincing fashion, clinching the championship with a score of 7/9 and a round to spare and achieving the Grandmaster title in the process. His current live rating stands at 2460.

An Asian Junior Champion, Raahul had earlier reached the International Master (IM) title in 2021, securing his fourth and fifth IM norms before crossing the 2400 rating threshold.

Speaking to DT Next about his journey, Raahul recalled how chess entered his life almost by accident. “I was very hyperactive as a child, so my family introduced me to chess to make me sit still and focus,” he said with a smile. What began as a way to channel his energy has since become both his passion and profession.

Reflecting on his growth through the game, he added, “Chess has taught me a lot. The difficult moments I faced on the board have helped me learn how to handle challenges in real life as well.”

Raahul’s triumph also marks India’s sixth new Grandmaster in the last five months — underlining the country’s deep and fast-growing chess talent. His success could even signal a new trend, with young players at about 2300 ratings eyeing direct-title events to achieve title norms.