Fifteen-year-old Aasa Deepika, city’s emerging chess player, won her maiden major medal — a bronze — in the Asian Schools Rapid Championship at New Delhi by garnering 4.5 points out of six rounds.
For the Class X student from Dr. K.K.R. Gowtham International School, this achievement is a significant one, as it lays the foundation for her future tryst with bigger challenges.
Deepika (1459), who was qualified for the National under-15 and 19 tournaments in 2012, could not play these tourneys owing to her academic compulsions.
“She took up chess when she was in Class VIII at Mustabada Sports and Educational Society and soon she became State sub junior and junior champion, thus qualifying to represent Andhra Pradesh in both the Nationals. She won many medals for Krishna district too,” said her coach Bobba Venkateswara Rao.
“I would like to concentrate on my studies and my primary aim in chess is to become an International Woman Master (IWM),” said the Asian medallist.
Mr. Bobba, former personal coach of Grand Master Pendyala Harikrishna, has a plan for her for the next two years. He wants Deepika to play as many as 10 norm tournaments in India and abroad.
Analysing Deepika’s playing style, her coach said the teenager was an aggressor by nature, who believed in taking her opponents head-on. “But she commits blunders in the endgame. She is yet to play to her potential.”
Deepika hones her skills at the academy playing with world under-10 girls champion Nutakki Priyanka, international player Potluri Supreetha, FIDE rated players Teja Suresh and Dhiren.
Deepika will put chess on hold for the next two months to prepare for SSC public examination. After giving her Class X exams, she will take part in three norm tournaments – Kolkata and Chennai in India and at Dubai.
The ultimate aim of Mr. Bobba, who was instrumental for N. Priyanka bagging the world under-10 girls’ title at Slovenia, is to help his trainee garner 150 Elo points in 2013.
