‘Grandmaster title was not my goal’

Srinath had a rating of 2483 in September 2013. It took him three and a half years to gain 17 points and reach 2500, So, what when wrong for Srinath? “Till 2016 I did not play in strong tournaments. I used to play in India and to become a GM, one must play in stronger tournaments across the world,” says Srinath. Meanwhile, he completed three GM norms by winning the Asian Junior Championship for three consecutive years. 

At the start of 2016, Srinath decided to make changes in his approach. “I changed my approach. The GM title was not my goal. I set higher aims. I wanted to enjoy the game as much as possible,” says Srinath. At the end of 2016, he attained a peak rating of 2490. 

This year, Srinath dropped 16 rating points . But he played well to regain 19 points in the Aeroflot Open. 

“In the fifth round, I was up against Sargissian Gabriel of Armenia. I reached a winning position, but then played a few inaccurate moves and had to be content with a draw. I was upset because I had missed a chance to become a GM. In the sixth round, I won and reached the required rating grade,” said Srinath.