19-year-old Hari Madhavan N B becomes the latest International Master of India
In December 2022, India got two GMs and four IMs. Aditya Mittal was first to become India's 77th GM. Then we got three more IMs - Jubin Jimmy, Sambit Panda and Shantanu Bhambure. Koustav Chatterjee became India's 78th GM on 31st December. On the very same day, 19-year-old Hari Madhavan N B scored his final IM-norm at 59th National Senior Chess Championship 2022. The teenager from Tamil Nadu became an International Master when he defeated GM Sandipan Chanda in the tenth round. He did not slow down after becoming an IM as he defeated GM Mitrabha Guha in the following game. Hari scored his first IM-norm in Serbia in November 2021, the second norm and 2400 was crossed at Madurai in July 2022. Photo: Shahid Ahmed
Two IM-norms and 2400+ in India in six months
Hari Madhavan N B scored his first IM-norm at Ask Mix 3 in November 2021 in Serbia. However, he scored his next two norms in strong Open tournaments in India. The engineering student, trained by Srinavasa Rangan, crossed 2400 in the live ratings at 2nd Athens of the East GM Open in July 2022. He fulfilled the final criteria of third norm on 31st December 2022 at MPL 59th National Senior Chess Championship 2022. His live rating is now 2418.2.
First IM-norm: Ask Mix 3 2021
Hari Madhavan N B earned his first IM-norm at Ask Mix 3 in November 2021. Despite missing the first round, he scored an unbeaten 8/10 in the next ten games to win the tournament, perform at 2491 and gained 108.8 Elo rating points to score his maiden IM-norm. He defeated GM Emir Dizdarevic (BIH), GM Zlatko Ilincic (SRB), WIM Isha Sharma, WIM Harshita Guddanti and drew with GM Goran Cabrilo (SRB).
Hari Madhavan - Zlatko, Round 8
Hari Madhavan N B (2253) correctly found the winning plan in the above knight endgame against GM Zlatko Ilincic (SRB, 2383). Try to find it.
Second IM-norm and live rating 2400+ : 2nd Athens of the East GM Open 2022
Eight months later, Hari secured his second IM-norm and crossed 2400 in the live ratings at 2nd Athens of the East GM Open 2022 at Madurai, Tamil Nadu in July 2022. He scored 8/10, finished second, including wins over GM Boris Savchenko, GM Vahe Baghdasaryan (ARM), GM Alexei Fedorov, IM Rajesh Vav, draws with GM Kirill Stupak and IM Nitin S.
Hari Madhavan - Savchenko, Round 4
Position after 24.Nxf6+
Hari Madhavan N B (2374) correctly spotted the tactic to gain an exchange 24.Nxf6+ gxf6 25.Rxe8 Rxe8 26.Qxe8 Nd3 27.Qxf7+ Kxf7 28.Rb1. GM Boris Savchenko (2524) provided a lot of resistance before he went down. Hari showcased his technical understanding to convert his advantage into a win.
Third IM-norm: MPL 59th National Senior 2022
Hari Madhavan N B earned his final IM-norm in December 2022 at MPL 59th National Senior 2022. He scored wins over GM Sandipan Chanda, GM Mitrabha Guha, IM Praveen Kumar C, draws with GM Iniyan P, GM Visakh N R, GM Koustav Chatterjee and IM Aronyak Ghosh. He got himself in a four-way lead after becominng an IM 8.5/11. However, a loss in the penultimate round and a draw in the final round, dropped his final rank to tenth place which is still impressive.
Hari Madhavan - Sandipan, Round 10
Hari Madhavan N B (2385) showed his tactical alertness against GM Sandipan Chanda (2475). 31...Bh4 ran into 32.g3 Bd8 33.Bxa7 White gained a crucial pawn. Hari defeated his first GM of the event to secure his final IM-norm and become India's latest International Master.
"He is a very dedicated and sincere student. To see him grow from young under-7 boy to this IM title the journey has been awesome and expect him to continue the journey and bring more laurels to India. First target in his mind would be to finish this Nationals on a high. He has always been a practical boy, so he will focus on his next two rounds and finish the job.
He studies in SSN Engineering College, Chennai, comes from a middle-class family. He has made two of his three norms inside India. It goes to show his playing strength." - Coach Srinavasa Rangan on his student Hari Madhavan becoming latest IM of India after Round 11 of MPL 59th National Senior 2022.
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