Nov 23, 1998

Hard work and a little help from her father brings Koneru Humpy a second world title.

By Amarnath K Menon

Some say it is her genes, others potato chips, that make her a champion. Yes, Koneru Humpy does love spuds and chess runs in her family. But when the shy 11-year-old sits in front of the 64 squares, there is a greater force at work: her father. It is a winning combination -- the father patient, persevering; the daughter talented, determined. The result: on November 6 at the Spanish beach town of Oropesa Del Mar, she drew her last game with compatriot Tania Sachdev to be crowned the world under-12 champion. Her triumph comes less than a year after winning the world under-10 championship at Cannes, France.

There is a synergy of hard-nosed ambition and labour here. Both Koneru Ashok, 40, and Humpy will settle for nothing less than the coveted world women's title in the years to come. "Confidence, hard work and regular practice will take me to the top," says the Class VII student of Guntur's Chalapathi Residential School. Adds Ashok: "Humpy is finally on the long road to success." Ever since his daughter quizzed him about some moves while playing at home six years ago, Ashok, a national B player, has been concentrating on developing Humpy's game. Three years later, when Humpy won the national championship for girls her age in 1995 at Madurai, Ashok quit his job as a chemistry lecturer and became his daughter's trainer and psychologist. The gamble has paid off.

The two spend about six hours a day trying out opening variations, tactics to unnerve and outwit opponents and end-game strategies. Browsing through back numbers of Informator, the compendium of moves and positions in recent contests, Ashok enriches Humpy's game. But there's no unnecessary hurry. "A hired coach or instructor pushes a child very hard," says Ashok, "As a teacher, I know that only too well." So there's no sleep-wake regimen for the chess prodigy. "We want our girl to be a great achiever but without pressurising her so that she grows up like any normal child."

The champion shows remarkable maturity for her age. Humpy does not depend on talismans and prayers to win tournaments. "This is a mind sport," she says. "It may involve some luck in the draw of lots for a play-off in a knock-out contest but skills and confidence matter the most." She believes both grit and determination are essential, besides razor-sharp memory and quick recall. Her immediate sights are on becoming India's youngest International Woman Master and that's not a tall order. "Humpy's patience and perseverance will click in the long run," says national women's coach Naseeruddin Ghalib.

World champ she may be, but she is not all grey cells and frowns. Like any child her age, she has her likes and dislikes. She is fond of potato chips and the colour red. And she loves watching Telugu feature films. So she often ends up fighting with her chess-hating sister Chandrahasa, who is forever watching cartoons on television. Neither Ashok nor wife Lata insist on Humpy spending long hours on schoolwork and describe her as "an average student". The school authorities do not mind either. "She is an asset," says principal M. Stella Naidu.

Humpy's growth and success depends wholly on the changing father-daughter alchemy. "Our relationship is like that of Dronacharya and Arjuna," says Ashok, who admits that in a couple of years Humpy will need a coach more experienced than him. For the moment, the training is basic. "We read books and learn about the strategies of rival players she is likely to meet in a competition," he discloses, pointing out that such preparation helped her beat three of the four Russians in the recent championship. He is reluctant to divulge further. "The girl has talent and the father prefers a personalised non-classical approach," explains former national champion Manuel Aaron. "They can hold on to it closely as it is paying off."

Ashok's curtness is hardly surprising. He has a lot at stake here, having quit his job and spent large sums to pursue ambition. The two were about to buy their own tickets to Spain when the Bank of Baroda stepped in as sponsors. With the bank promising to pick up the bills for future travel and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu giving her a Rs 1 lakh award, prospects of Humpy taking part in competitions abroad and improving her game have brightened. She's on her way to becoming the queen.

© Living Media India Ltd