Only a couple of weeks before one of the most prestigious FIDE Grand Swiss chess tournaments got underway in the historic city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan, known for its rich history as a crossroads on the Silk Road, Grandmaster R Vaishali finished 10th, the last position in the Chennai Challengers tournament. She also lost 24 crucial rating points in the process. That was then.

On Monday, 13 September, it was a different Vaishali smiling with triple delight on the chessboard. What Vaishali achieved at Samarkand was an unprecedented triple triumph.

Crowned Queen

She was crowned Queen of the Women’s section of the prestigious Grand Swiss tournament after lifting the winner’s trophy aloft. In the final round, she clinched the title with a hard-fought draw against Tan Zhongyi, China’s world championship finalist.

Though Vaishali finished with 8 points out of a maximum 11, the same as 4th seed Kateryna Lagno of Russia, the 24-year-old, only the third Indian to become a Grandmaster, was declared winner of the tournament because she had played against stronger opponents, with an average Elo rating of 2434 versus Lagno’s 2433.

Vaishali’s performance is all the more creditable not only because she came straight from a disappointing last-place showing in the Chennai Challengers tournament, but also because she was ranked a lowly 13th in the Grand Swiss tournament.

A Class Apart

Creditably, Vaishali stamped her class with back-to-back wins in this prestigious and tricky FIDE tournament. Earlier in 2023, she became the surprise winner of the Grand Swiss crown, where she also clinched her fourth and final Grandmaster norm. Now, by clinching the 2025 crown consecutively, she has shown the chess pundits of the world that she is a class apart. Until now, no chess player — across categories, open or women’s section — had won back-to-back Grand Swiss titles.

Over To Candidates

By winning the Grand Swiss, Vaishali also secured a ticket to next year’s hallowed Candidates Tournament, making it two times in a row. In the 2024 Candidates Tournament in Toronto, she was the only Indian in the women’s section, while three Indians — D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit Gujrathi — played in the open section, which was won by D Gukesh, who eventually became World Champion in Singapore.

Rise And Rise

With Vaishali now joining the fray, India will have at........

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