Vaishali Rameshbabu: A Grandmaster's Journey and the Grand Swiss Gateway

In the world of sports, talent often runs in families, but few can claim the meteoric rise of the Rameshbabu siblings. Vaishali Rameshbabu, the elder sister of the world's 13th highest-rated GM, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, has recently joined the elite ranks of chess Grandmasters herself. At the IV El Llobregat Open, she finally gained the last few rating points she needed to turn her four GM norms into an official title. Becoming India's third female grandmaster, Vaishali surely made the headlines, but her impressive chess run started earlier this November when she proved to be one of the strongest active players in the world by winning the 2023 women's Grand Swiss, the strongest open of the year and thus, qualifying for the FIDE Candidates tournament.

In the wake of these achievements, Chessify caught up with Vaishali to discuss her journey, her inspirations, and her unique relationship with chess.

Photo by © Anna Shtourman / FIDE

From Enjoyment to Victory

The 2023 FIDE Women's Grand Swiss Tournament was the second edition of this prestigious Swiss open, which boasted an average rating of 2402 in the women’s division. Thanks to being the strongest open event of the year, it formed part of the qualification cycle for the Women's Candidates Tournament. Both the winner and runner-up earned the opportunity to compete in the 2024 Candidates Tournament.

Vaishali, who entered the Grand Swiss as the 12th seed among 50 competitors, delivered a commanding performance. She remained undefeated, scoring an impressive 8.5 out of 11 points and securing her well-earned place in the forthcoming Candidates event, where she will vie for a spot in the World Championship match.

Reflecting on her win at the Grand Swiss, Vaishali emphasized her mindset, stating, "I was just enjoying the games. It's easier said than done, but I really was enjoying the games, sacrificing pieces here and there, and basically being myself." This mindset translated into a formidable display of skill, allowing her to gain 30 rating points and beat three former world champions throughout the event.

Among these victories, her win against GM Mariya Muzychuk stood out as Vaishali's favorite one of the event.

"It was a really smooth win…" - Vaishalli recalled. "I had a good opening preparation and then sacrificed a piece. I definitely enjoyed it the most."

As the tournament neared its conclusion, Vaishali faced two more world champions, Antoaneta Stefanova (2424) and Tan Zhongyi (2517), defeating both in consecutive games. Remarkably, Vaishali did not dwell on this achievement during the tournament.

"It didn't cross my mind while playing them, but when I think about it now, it feels incredible to have played and defeated three world champions. These wins will give me confidence for future tournaments," Vaishali shared.

Sibling Support: Training with Praggnanandhaa

At the beginning of the GrandSwiss, the champion-to-be, Vaishali, had not set her sights on winning the tournament. Coming off the intense Qatar Masters tournament where she faced only male competitors and completed her final GM norm, Vaishali's initial goal was simply to play another tournament and hopefully gain some rating points.

"At first, I didn't really think about winning the tournament," Vaishali revealed. "It was actually Pragg who first suggested the idea of winning the Grand Swiss. He told me that if I could show the same 2600 performance level as in the Qatar Masters, I would be very close to winning the women's Grand Swiss. He was motivating me from the start, and I am really grateful for his support."

The Rameshbabu siblings share not only a familial bond but also a deep love for chess. Vaishali, being the eldest, was the first to pick up chess. Her brother, Pragg, showed such an intense interest in her training that their parents eventually got him his own chessboard.

"I used to watch a lot of television when I was about six years old," Vaishali recalled. "My parents wanted to distract me from TV, so they put me in chess classes. I then started playing in tournaments and did quite well, winning awards like the youngest participant prize. That's how I became attracted to chess and began pursuing it professionally. Pragg, who was very young at that time, also started showing interest in the game. Whenever I practiced at home, he would come and disturb me, being only 3 or 4 years old. So, my parents decided to get him a separate chessboard as well."

As Pragg himself got into chess, he progressed even faster than Vaishali, becoming one of the strongest players globally and a beacon of hope for India alongside his peers like Gukesh D and Erigaisi. Therefore, Vaishali is often asked whether her brother contributes to her pre-game preparations and overall chess training.

In response, Vaishali always speaks highly of the support she receives from her younger brother: "Pragg helps me a lot with preparation, and we train together whenever we are both at home. When we participate in tournaments, he helps me decide which openings to play against strong opponents. In the Grand Swiss, he helped me in every game. In the Qatar Masters, where most of my opponents were above 2500, Pragg accurately guessed the openings that could come up on the board and the strategy the 2600-rated players might use against me. It was amazing to witness. I have a huge support from him."

Grandmaster Title - A Dream Come True

Prior to her success at the Grand Swiss, Vaishali had already attained all the necessary GM norms, with only her live rating requirement of surpassing 2500 standing in her way to officially earn the grandmaster title. Her performance at the Grand Swiss was nothing short of remarkable, as she gained an impressive 30 rating points to set the stage for her next challenge, the IV El Llobregat Open. Starting this event with two back-to-back victories, Vaishali reached a live rating of 2500, thereby officially securing her status as a chess grandmaster, a dream she had harbored since her early days in chess.

"Becoming a grandmaster has always been my goal," Vaishali expressed. "I've been close to making the norm several times but kept missing out." With this long-sought goal now accomplished, her focus can shift to the next major milestone: the FIDE Candidates Tournament. In its significance, his prestigious event is second only to the World Championship match itself. Vaishali's victory in the Grand Swiss opened the door to this crucial tournament, where the winner will earn the opportunity to contend for the World Championship title.

Looking Ahead

Fresh from her Grand Swiss victory and now a Grandmaster, Vaishali's sights are set on future challenges as they should be. With the Candidates spot secured, Vaishali now has a chance to fight for her spot in the World Championship match.

Following her Grand Swiss triumph and recent ascension to Grandmaster status, Vaishali is now focused on the forthcoming challenges, as expected. Having secured her place in the Candidates, she is poised for an opportunity to compete in the World Championship match.

Discussing her future aspirations, Vaishali shared, "Naturally, playing in a championship match is the dream of every chess player. I made the first step by qualifying for the Candidates, and I aim to perform at my best there."

However, Vaishali more patient approach toward realizing her ambitions. She emphasizes that her primary goal is the gradual improvement of her game and fulfilling her potential. In this quest, she finds inspiration in the legendary figure of Sir Viswanathan Anand.

Vaishali met Anand as a child, as they live in the same city. "Our school has a yearly tradition of inviting sports personalities. And when I was in first or second grade, Anand Sir visited as the world champion and spoke about his world championship match. That was the first time I met him, and it's such a memorable experience for me as a kid," - Vaishali reminisced.

Now a part of the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, Vaishali has the unique opportunity to play alongside and learn from the chess maestro himself.

"It's such a great feeling to have Anand Sir around. He's so inspiring on and off the board, he has a great personality and is very humble. So he's a huge inspiration for us," - Vaishali expressed.

At Chessify, we celebrate Vaishali Rameshbabu's achievements and look forward to her continued success in the chess world. We hope her journey will inspire more girls to embrace the game and aspire to become champions.