Apoorv Kamble from Bangalore becomes India’s latest International Master

Apoorv Kamble joins India’s IM list

India has a new International Master. The highly talented Apoorv Kamble from Bangalore, Karnataka, achieved the IM title after scoring his third and final norm at the 34th IM Norm Closed Round Robin Tournament in Chennai. He gained 22.6 Elo points, performed at the rating of 2459 and finished second in the tournament. Apoorv completed all three of his IM norms in this year itself! His achievement once again highlights the growing strength of India’s young chess talent.

When the final game ended, the moment did not immediately sink in for Apoorv. “I was surprisingly emotionless after the last game. I just went out of the venue and met my dad, who was very happy. After some time, when the feeling sank in, I was overjoyed and relieved that I had finally achieved the title,” he recalls.

Apoorv’s chess story began almost by chance. At the age of five, it was his sister who wanted a chessboard after seeing one somewhere. While the board was meant for her, it was Apoorv who became fascinated by the pieces! He would take the set and play with it. His parents sensed his interest and decided to enroll him in chess classes.

Even as a young player, Apoorv showed immense talent. However, progress was not immediate. He improved gradually, and for a long time, he remained stuck around the 1800 rating mark.

First IM Norm: Teplice Open Tournament 2025

Apoorv’s first IM norm was scored at the Teplice Open in June 2025. He scored 6 points out of 9, performed at a rating of 2442 and gained nearly 45 points. He defeated GM Brandon Jacobson and drew with GM Jergus Pechac. Apoorv has also annotated his game against Brandon Jacobson for our readers.

Second IM Norm: 31st Tamil Nadu IM-norm Closed Circuit Tournament 2025

The second norm came at the Tamil Nadu IM Closed Round Robin Tournament in October 2025. Apoorv remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, scored an impressive 7.5 points out of 9 to finish first and secured the IM norm. Apoorv has shared two annotated games from this event.

Third IM Norm: 34th Tamil Nadu IM-norm RR Tournament 2025

The third and final norm came at the 34th IM Norm Closed Round Robin Tournament in Chennai. This was, in Apoorv’s own words, the toughest of the three. “Considering the stakes, it was the hardest,” he says. Despite being confident before the tournament, the start did not go as planned. After four rounds, he had already made three draws with narrow escapes. Going into the final round, a draw was enough, but the game itself was far from comfortable. “I was in trouble out of the opening and also on the clock,” Apoorv admits. When the game ended in a draw, Apoorv had finally secured the IM title.

A confidence boost to remember!

Earlier this year, Apoorv had a special moment at the WestBridge celebrations in Bangalore. In a tandem simul, some of the city’s most talented youngsters got the chance to play against the biggest names in Indian chess - Viswanathan Anand, Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Vaishali. Apoorv managed to win his game and caught everyone’s attention!

“It was a huge honour to meet and play against my idols,” he says. The moment that stayed with him the most came after the game, when Gukesh walked up to his board, resigned with a smile, and shook his hand. Pragg and Vaishali also personally congratulated him and wished him the best. The win gave him a significant confidence boost and strengthened his belief in his own abilities.

It all depends on mindset!

What is the secret of Apoorv’s rapid rating rise? Mindset! In the last two years, several important changes played a role in his development. Apoorv began paying serious attention to his openings, which he previously neglected. He also started reading books, something he had actively avoided earlier. Perhaps most importantly, his mindset matured. Earlier, losses would affect him deeply. Now, he moves on quickly and focuses on the next game. This emotional stability has helped him perform better in tournaments. The books that helped him are:

1. Fundamental Chess: Logical Decision Making

1. Positional Decision Making in Chess

2. The Woodpecker Method

3. Improve Your Chess Calculation

Heroes behind the victory

Strong coaching has been central to Apoorv’s rise. In his early years, IM Raja Ravi Shekhar introduced him to chess concepts in an engaging and enjoyable way through group classes. It helped him build a solid foundation. IM Poobesh Anand S worked with him individually to improve his calculation and tactical skills. Since 2020, FM Gurpreet Pal Singh is Apoorv’s main coach. When their collaboration began, Apoorv was rated 1539. Gurpreet helped him work consistently on all aspects of his game. “He always believed in my potential,” Apoorv says. He also added that without this guidance, the journey might not have been possible.

Apoorv also received valuable support from Lakshyan Sports Academy between 2022 and 2023, where he trained free of cost under FM Abhishek Das, IM Rahul Sangma, and IM Shashikant Kutwal. The Chola training camps in Chennai further exposed him to high-level preparation under experienced grandmasters. These camps helped deepen his calculation, understanding of key concepts, and motivation to keep pushing harder.

Managing school alongside competitive chess has not been easy, but Apoorv credits his school, Shishya BEML Public School, for being highly supportive. The flexibility to reschedule exams and grant leaves has allowed him to pursue chess seriously, while he also continues to put in effort to balance both responsibilities! After this, the next phase of Apoorv’s journey has already begun!