M.R. Lalith Babu ended a four-year long wait for an international title when he won the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Open international chess championship with seven points from nine rounds on Monday.
“I badly needed this as it ends a title drought at the highest level since 2014. Winning this title means a lot to me as I plan big,” said the 25-year-old in a chat with The Hindu from Shanghai.
Lalith, the reigning National champion in classical and rapid format, said beating the Chinese players, especially young opponents, was always a difficult proposition. “Holding the top-seeded Russian GM Vadim Zvjaginsev in the final round to a draw was just the perfect,” said Lalith.
“I am immensely pleased with five wins and four draws in the Shanghai Open. Though I played in the Asian Continental championship, playing in an Open event in China was a first-time experience and I hope to keep the momentum going,” he said.
Lalith said the next National championship would be crucial as the winner would get a chance to play in the World Cup.
“Right now, I have no foreign ‘second’ but thanks to the Andhra Pradesh Government, there will be a training camp with a foreign GM, Amanatov Farukh, soon and that should help me a long way,” he said.
“The urge is to try out some novelties and keep changing my game-plan for upcoming major events as the immediate target is to get a place in the Indian team,” concluded Lalith.
