Aravindh Chithambaram: Grand Master of Chennai

ARAVINDH Chithambaram is a pessimist by nature. When he was being driven to the Anna Centenary Library before the opening round of the Chennai Grand Masters last Tuesday, the 25-year-old had only thought running through his mind.

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

ARAVINDH Chithambaram is a pessimist by nature. When he was being driven to the Anna Centenary Library before the opening round of the Chennai Grand Masters last Tuesday, the 25-year-old had only thought running through his mind. Not finish last. Every point or half a point he would get would be a bonus. He had zero expectations.

That's a pretty strange place to be in for somebody who had a rating of 2706. Here was a Super GM (anybody rated above 2700 is one by definition) who had trouble believing in himself. Shortly after 4.00 PM inside the playing hall on Monday, a polite applause broke out. Chithambaram, as lean as a pencil, allowed himself a smile. He had just defeated Levon Aronian twice in a two-game blitz playoff to clinch the second edition.