Chess star Koneru Humpy opens up on comeback and Moscow title win – Hindustan Times
Posted: January 6, 2020 at 10:44 am
Koneru Humpy has just returned from Russia after winning the World Rapid Championship title and finishing 12th in the World Blitz. But expectations are already highcan she win the Classical world title, the holy grail that has eluded her so far? On the comeback trail after a two-year sabbatical after the birth of her daughter, Humpy accepts she has had a great start in her second innings but will not be running after tournaments and titles like earlier.
If it happens, I will be very happy but I dont want to think too much about it, says the former world champion in Under-10, U-12 and U-14 sections.
The 32-year-old from Vijayawada spoke to Hindustan Times about how people took to her comeback and the difficulties, the difficulties of re-entering competitive chess, and why the Moscow win was unexpected.
Excerpts.
You have finally won a World Championship title after missing the Classical world title despite repeated attempts. Were you expecting this breakthrough?
Of course, I didnt expect to win the rapid title at all. It was never my focus and I was like 13th seed in the tournament. When I started the event, I thought just getting a medal would be a great result for me. But on the last day of the event, after a few rounds, I felt that I had a good chance of finishing at the top. My final game with the Chinese player (Tan Zhongyi) was crucial; when I beat her, I was sure of getting silver (medal). At the same time the other Chinese player (Lei Tingjie) lost her game so I got an opportunity to play the tiebreak.
Things worked for you in crucial moments in rapid section, but not in blitz as you lost the last three games to finish 12th
I am not a strong blitz player either and even though I lost the last three games, I can say that this is the best blitz result I have ever had. It went pretty well till the 14th round and I was in clear second spot, at some time I was also joint first. I think at that stage I felt like I got exhausted and collapsed, because in blitz once you lose the thread, it is very difficult to come back because of shorter time control.
But you had a great start, five wins in first five rounds.
Yeah, I had a great start and on the first day I lost to (Kateryna) Lagno (the eventual winner) a crucial game (in which) I was completely winning and I would say I was just unlucky to lose that game.
In general I am satisfied with my play. Not like before when I would lose on time, without giving much fight. It was not like that (this time), I fought, and I fought till the end.
How difficult was for you to decide on a comeback?
I was always intending to continue playing chess, I never had thoughts of stopping. I just took a break because it was needed but once my baby was born, I thought okay, I need to be with her. I told the doctor, she is one year old, so I decided to start playing. It was a well-thought of plan that I want to get back to chess.
Preparation wise, how difficult was it?
It was not so easy for me because a two-year break from chess is something very big because a lot of development happened during that time and also I lost board practice completely. I hadnt seen chess at all during this period. So, it became quite difficult and I had my share of failures when I came back. After three tournaments, I slowly started playing at my level and then I came back.
Is it more difficult now to keep your focus on the game when you have a family, a baby?
No, actually when I am playing a tournament, I dont get distracted at all. Once I start travelling for an event, my complete focus will be on chess itself, and I never get a second thought. But when I am at home practicing, then it is not completely chess. Its like any other normal person, I have other family things.
Do you plan to have a shortened calendar, or go full throttle into the circuit?
No, I wont be playing many tournaments, I will be very choosy about what I am playing. Even in 2019, I started by playing in Gibraltar, which is a strong mens tournament. I took part in that because I was playing after a long time and I thought it will help improve my game. After that I took a break for two months and then I played in some Chinese leagues, they were just four games, three games, so it was easy for me to travel and stay in touch with family. Thats how I maintained a balance. After that I played in the Grand Prix Series, which is the official FIDE event. So, I played two Grand Prix events and European Club Cup, three Chinese leagues and of course Gibraltar and then this World Rapid and Blitz Championship. I was in all the major official tournaments and the rest I played to keep myself focussed and to stay in touch. I will do the same thing this year also.
The Grand Prix Series was quite successful for you in one event (Skolkovo, Russia) you finished first and in the second (at Monaco from Dec 2-15), joint first. How was it playing against top women players?
It was very difficult for me because when you play a round-robin tournament you need very good preparation to outclass your opponents. Its not just the game but you also need very concrete stuff in the opening. For that I really had to work hard, not only before the tournament, but even during the event. I felt I was back into the game after the Chinese leagues and Gibraltar. But the only problem was the lack of opening preparations but I somehow managed without that in my first Grand Prix event. But now I think I am more or less in the normal state that I was before the break. In that sense, the first Grand Prix event was crucial.
How was the reaction when you made a comeback?
For sure many thought I will not get back to chess because I took such a long break. I havent played even online tournaments and I was not in the chess circuit. Even when I came back, they had doubts about how much I will do. Some of them said to me, now that you have a kid, it will be difficult to concentrate on the game. Its better to enjoy your life. Everyone has their opinion but at the end of the day the passion and the ambitions you have will help you to rise.
Do you think there is some unfinished business for you, winning the Classical World Championship, maybe?
Yeah true, thats haunting me. But I dont want to think about it too much. Just want to concentrate on improving my game and I really dont know whether I will end up winning the world title or not, but I will keep on trying.
Continued here:
Chess star Koneru Humpy opens up on comeback and Moscow title win - Hindustan Times
- Here's How to Play Chess by Mail, and What Movies to Watch to Get Your Game Going - Willamette Week - November 22nd, 2020
- So Defeats Duda With Incredible 3|1 Performance In Speed Chess - Chess.com - November 22nd, 2020
- The art of chess: a brief history of the World Championship - TheArticle - November 22nd, 2020
- Humpys Gambit: How Koneru disturbed the male-dominated status quo in chess - The Indian Express - November 22nd, 2020
- Cardinals QB Kyler Murray might be the best chess player in the NFL - Sporting News - November 22nd, 2020
- The Queen's Gambit On Netflix - All The Info - Chess.com - November 22nd, 2020
- Washington state team crowned national chess champions - KING5.com - November 22nd, 2020
- On Chess: Mizzou's Chess Team Proves Capable Of Winning Even In A Virtual Space - St. Louis Public Radio - November 22nd, 2020
- Outlawing heading would turn football into chess but game has to act to break dementia link - The Times - November 22nd, 2020
- Understanding before Moving 2: How to improve the activity of my pieces - Chessbase News - November 22nd, 2020
- Local Event: Thanksgiving Chess Camp For The Little Ones ~ Keep Em Active 😉 - Patch.com - November 22nd, 2020
- How Dama's Gambito nailed the chess world re:Jerusalem - re:Jerusalem - November 22nd, 2020
- Packers will have an interesting chess match against the Colts defense - Acme Packing Company - November 22nd, 2020
- Chess Online: How to Play and Win Chess | Chess Tips & Strategies - Popular Mechanics - October 6th, 2020
- On Chess: Returning To Over The Board Chess Tournaments - St. Louis Public Radio - October 6th, 2020
- October Cover Stories with Chess Life: GM Maurice Ashley - uschess.org - October 6th, 2020
- 'Audiences wont have seen anything like this': how Iranian film Chess of the Wind was reborn - The Guardian - October 6th, 2020
- Why Utah's new Teacher of the Year wants his students of color to play chess - Salt Lake Tribune - October 6th, 2020
- CCPS hosting in-person chess tournament, limited to students in Grades 4-12 - The Southern Maryland Chronicle - October 6th, 2020
- Its more natural for men to pick chess as an interest or women to pick arranging flowers - Mint - October 6th, 2020
- Gone too soon: Brimfield teen remembered as jokester and expert chess player - Pekin Daily Times - October 6th, 2020
- Meet these mini-grandmasters of chess - two brothers from Cork - EchoLive.ie - October 6th, 2020
- Carlsen and So tie in Chess 9LX tournament - Stabroek News - October 6th, 2020
- Sacred squares and foolish horses - Chessbase News - October 6th, 2020
- More than 100 players start at the Fagernes Open - Chessbase News - October 6th, 2020
- Russias Post-Covid Economic Policies Will Be a Game of Chess - ETF Trends - September 23rd, 2020
- The Only Problem In Fischer Random Chess - Chess.com - September 23rd, 2020
- AlphaZero (And Other!) Chess Variants Now Available For Everyone - Chess.com - September 23rd, 2020
- On the origins of chess (7/7) - Chessbase News - September 23rd, 2020
- Ten Years of Chess Innovation. How Lichess grew from a simple tech | by Samuel Sullivan | SUPERJUMP | Sep, 2020 - Medium - September 23rd, 2020
- Mechanics' to Host U.S. Cadet National Championship this Weekend - uschess.org - September 23rd, 2020
- Guess the child prodigy - Chessbase News - September 23rd, 2020
- Blitz Tournament of the Americas: Bringing Cultures and Communities Together Through Chess - uschess.org - September 23rd, 2020
- Int'l online chess event to mark 74th birthday of PM Hasina - Dhaka Tribune - September 23rd, 2020
- Road To The PCL Finals: China Pandas - Chess.com - September 23rd, 2020
- CHESS Health Selected by Next Step Community, an Addiction Recovery Program Located in Terre Haute, Indiana - PR Web - September 23rd, 2020
- The True Story Behind Critical Thinking, Movie Based in Miami - Miami New Times - September 23rd, 2020
- DeepMind's AI is helping to re-write the rules of chess - ZDNet - September 15th, 2020
- The 10 Best Chess Moves Of All Time - Chess.com - September 15th, 2020
- The classic game of chess has found a new home: Twitch - The Next Web - September 15th, 2020
- John Leguizamo on bringing the 'intellectual hustle' of chess to life - Page Six - September 15th, 2020
- On Chess: St. Louis Chess Club To Host Two Upcoming Online Chess Tournaments Featuring The World's Top Grandmasters - St. Louis Public Radio - September 15th, 2020
- Chess.com Teams Up With CLG For First CLG Arena With $2,100 In Prizes - Chess.com - September 15th, 2020
- Indian chess team celebrates its Olympiad victory with a special Twitter Chat - WION - September 15th, 2020
- Nihal Beats Tang In Junior Speed Chess Championship - Chess.com - September 15th, 2020
- An interview with Ben Johnson, the perpetual podcaster - Chessbase News - September 15th, 2020
- Auto Brawl Chess from Panoramik Games is available now for iOS following its Android launch earlier this year - Pocket Gamer - September 15th, 2020
- A game of chess in the Himalayas - The Hindu - September 15th, 2020
- Reward Olympiad-winning Indian team: Chess Forum appeals to Kiren Rijiju - Moneycontrol.com - September 15th, 2020
- Retired Chess Grandmaster, AlphaZero AI Reinvent Chess - Science Times - September 15th, 2020
- Sign Of The Times - Sparta Chess Online - TAPinto.net - September 15th, 2020
- Chinas check on Indias chess board: New Delhi will have to fall back on its own resources - The Times of India Blog - September 15th, 2020
- Chess masters make all the smart moves - IOL - September 15th, 2020
- Hennessy Spotlights Living Legend and International Chess Grandmaster Maurice Ashley In Latest Chapter of Award-Winning "Wild Rabbit"... - September 15th, 2020
- 'He is a chess player on a tennis court' - ATP star tipped to beat anyone - Tennishead - September 15th, 2020
- Just the Rules: New Internet Chess RulesEssential Player Tips - uschess.org - August 20th, 2020
- Norway Chess Oct. 5-16 With Reduced Field Of Participants - Chess.com - August 20th, 2020
- We're In the Chess Renaissance - Chess Daily News - August 20th, 2020
- Norway Chess to be 1st over-the-board super-tournament since March - chess24 - August 20th, 2020
- On the origins of chess (6/7) - Chessbase News - August 20th, 2020
- Humpy: China will pose tough challenge in Chess Olympiad - Sportstar - August 20th, 2020
- The Next PogChamps: All The Information - Chess.com - August 20th, 2020
- Sarajevo Q&A: Ru Hasanov on how a real-life story inspired chess drama 'The Island Within' - Screen International - August 20th, 2020
- Chess Federation expecting White verdict this week | Sports - Jamaica Gleaner - August 20th, 2020
- The Best in... Aruba - Chessbase News - August 20th, 2020
- Chess: Why hasnt India produced another Viswanathan Anand? - Livemint - August 20th, 2020
- Gorgeous amber chess set returns to Gdask after 300 years - The First News - August 20th, 2020
- Play the Najdorf with the help of Garry - Chessbase News - August 20th, 2020
- The Grandmaster Who Got Twitch Hooked on Chess - WIRED - June 15th, 2020
- An Introduction to Chess: More notes on notation - Stabroek News - June 15th, 2020
- Chess: Interim executive team elected to run federation for a year - The New Times - June 15th, 2020
- Chess: national solving championship opens for entries from Britain this week - The Guardian - June 15th, 2020
- Carlsen Vs. Giri: The Trash Talk Edition - Chess.com - June 15th, 2020
- Karjakin vs. Cosmonauts | Earth vs. Space 50th anniversary chess game - chess24 - June 15th, 2020
- GMs Pravin Thipsay, Vidit Gujrathi launch Maharashtra Chess Associations official website - The Bridge - June 15th, 2020
- There is no 'better' game when comparing chess with bridge - Royal Gazette - June 15th, 2020
- Another Female Chess Grand Master Forsakes Iranian Nationality To Join Swiss Team - Iran News By Radio Farda - June 15th, 2020
- The Downs And Ups Of GM Elmars Zemgalis (Silman's Last Article) - Chess.com - June 15th, 2020
- Chess.com Jokingly Promoted xQc To Grandmaster | TheGamer - TheGamer - June 3rd, 2020
- The eight best players in the world meet at the AVRO Tournament - Chessbase News - June 3rd, 2020