The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Memorable day for Harshal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 06, 2007
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Memorable day for Harshal

— Photo: V. Sudershan

Harshal Shahi.

NEW DELHI: Delhi-under-7 champion Harshal Shahi has become the youngest internationally rated chess player in the country.

Harshal, a class III student of Raghubir Singh Modern School, completed the formalities of earning the rating in December 2006 at the age of seven years, seven months and 11 days and made it to the rating list released on April 1.

However, the confirmation of Harshal's feat came only this week after FIDE, the world body, incorporated details of his age.

A fortnight away from his eighth birthday, Harshal is the third player from the capital after Parimarjan Negi (2002) and Sahaj Grover (2003) to become the country's youngest rated player. Harshal, with a rating of 1,611, is among over 2000 rated players in the country.

Harshal met the requirements of gaining international rating spread over two tournaments late last year. He scored three points after facing seven rated players in the Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee chess tournament here. In the National under-13 at Bhiwani, Haryana, Harshal tallied 1.5 points off five rated opponents to be eligible for his maiden rating. — Special Correspondent

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