Ajay Parvathareddy becomes the fifth International Master from Uttar Pradesh

The introvert's game?

Sometimes, the sport you play depicts your nature. If you are a team sports player, you are often expected to be an extrovert. You need good communication skills. You will contribute to the overall group energy. On the other hand, if you are an introvert, you might be more inclined towards individual sports. Although this is not a hard-and-fast rule, it’s something I have observed often. Your personality plays a role in the game you are drawn to. You might have noticed that many chess players tend to be introverted.

One such player is Ajay Parvathareddy, who, being an introvert, was naturally drawn to the quiet nature of chess. He tried many sports, but ultimately discovered that chess resonated with him the most deeply. “I loved the fact that I could play such an exciting and deeply engaging game while sitting at home. It immediately caught my interest and became a passion,” Ajay recalls.

Ajay’s formal chess training began at the Mind Games Chess Academy, where Vivek Mitra and Krishnankit Banerjee laid the foundation of his game. Working with them taught him resilience. “It shaped the way I approach setbacks even today,” Ajay shared. He started playing chess in 2018 and, within just a year of taking up chess, he won three tournaments!

The turning point in Ajay’s career came right after the lockdown. Because of staying away from competitive practice, he lost a considerable number of rating points. It was a demoralizing phase, yet instead of giving up, he chose to work harder. “That experience taught me resilience. It shaped the way I approach setbacks even today,” Ajay says.

From the lockdown until mid-2023, he trained under JK Raju, who played a key role in helping him cross the 2000 Elo mark.

Some of Ajay's incredible achievements from last year:

He emphasized solving puzzles during this phase to improve his calculation skills, which clearly showed the result. He also shared with us the list of books that he found useful:

1. Grandmaster Preparation: Calculation by Jacob Aagaard

2. Woodpecker method 1 by Axel Smith and Hans Tikkanen

3. Artur Yusupov series

4. How to study chess on your own by Davorin Kuljasevic

5. Jeremy Silman's complete Endgame course

Later, guidance from Onkar Jadhav and the opportunity to attend training camps with Grandmaster Shyam Sundar gave him deeper insights into high-level play. In Onkar Jadhav's words, “Over the years, Ajay has matured tremendously as a player. He has cultivated patience and positional understanding to balance his natural attacking flair, and his ability to analyse positions systematically and make sound practical decisions over the board has grown remarkably.”

Ajay shares his insights in this annotated game. This will give you a glimpse into his style and the way he makes decisions over the board.

As mentioned earlier, Ajay worked very hard to improve his calculation skills, which was noticed by Lokeswararao Moogi, his current coach. “The biggest leap has been in his attacking play and adaptability. He is now able to confidently take on higher-rated opponents with sharp attacking ideas while also being comfortable exploring new openings and lines. This versatility has made him much more dangerous over the board,” he says.

He also analysed one of Ajay’s games to show this improvement:

During my training sessions with Ajay in May, after analyzing his progress and preparation, I confidently told his parents that he would soon achieve the IM title and cross 2500. To see that happen exactly as predicted was very rewarding and reaffirmed the effectiveness of our training approach.

- Lokeswararao Moogi

Lokesh is the father and trainer of WIM Sahithi Varshini, one of India’s promising chess players. He is a former national-level player himself and has been a guiding force behind her journey. Under his guidance, Sahithi has achieved great heights and continues to do so. And now, Ajay is also training under him. His support has been crucial in Ajay achieving the International Master title.

First IM Norm

In the third round, Ajay played against Richard Turcan with black pieces. He initiated the attack on the queenside with 12...b5. He wanted to try a new possibility. Of course, White avoided Qxb5 in view of Rb8. However...

Turcan Richard (2374) vs Ajay Parvathareddy (2193)

…even after 13...Na5 14.O-O Nb3 15.Rb1 a5 16.Bg5 a4 17.Qd3 Bc4, it was clear that Black was in control. With pressure building on the queenside, White had to give up a pawn, and Ajay turned his extra material into a winning advantage.

Ajay scored another win in the tournament in the sixth round. He was paired against Tommy Wen from the USA with White pieces.

Ajay Parvathareddy (2193) vs Tommy Wen (2335)

Black’s best was 15...Nbc4, which would have kept things roughly even after 16.Ra2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 Nc4 18.Bf4 Qa5, and so on. In the game, however, Black played 15...Rfc8, allowing 16.b3 to solidify White’s queenside. White could now, at the very least, aim to expand with Kh2, e4, f4, etc...

... but Black made matters even easier with 16.c4?, a clear slip. White seized the opportunity at once: after 17.b4 Nd3 18.b5, he was clearly in control. And from here on, it was straightforward, and Ajay wrapped up the win without any trouble.

Second IM Norm

Ajay scored his second IM norm at the Trophee Dole Pasino Grand Aix 2025. He finished with a score of 5/9 and delivered very good performances against tough opponents.

Third IM Norm

Ajay secured his third and final IM Norm at the Rudar XXII Round Robin in Serbia.

Ajay’s road to the IM title has not been without setbacks. It happens with many players that they come so close to the IM norm, but miss it narrowly. This happened with Ajay as well. Constant travel also took a toll on his health. This becomes a big challenge during crucial tournaments. Ajay described this period as a “frustrating phase.” “But instead of letting it break my spirit, I focused on recovery and came back stronger. Today, I feel I am playing even better than before,” he admits.

During the 2nd Namma Bengaluru GM 2025, Ajay was playing against GM Stany G A, where Stany had a winning advantage. But he missed it, and Ajay escaped with a draw!

They faced each other again at the 3rd Maharashtra GM 2025. This time, Ajay brilliantly outplayed Stany.

Anyone who wants to pursue chess seriously needs to invest a lot of time and energy. For young players, it’s a challenge because their chess training can clash with their school timings. You definitely need support from school if you want to pursue both. Ajay has managed to strike this balance with proper discipline. His school, Sunbeam School Annapurna Laharatara, does give him space to practice and compete freely. Not only his school, but also his friends encourage him to play chess. “I manage my academics with the help of my friends, who support me whenever I’m away for tournaments,” Ajay shares.

In this journey, Ajay’s parents have been his biggest support. “My parents have been my greatest source of strength. They stood by me through every phase, whether I was winning or struggling. Their emotional strength has been invaluable in my chess journey,” Ajay says. More than celebrating victories, they have always guided him to focus on the process.

This kind of approach from parents is not just supportive, but essential. It gives the child the freedom to enjoy the sport without carrying unnecessary pressure. In one interview, Sarbartho Mani’s parents shared something they had learned from GM R B Ramesh during a parent-coach meeting. He urged that parents should be like an “AC or fan in the room.” It gives us comfort. It makes us feel at ease when we enter our room. In the same way, parents should provide comfort and support to the child. Ajay’s parents have done that, and it has made all the difference in his journey. Also, considering that Ajay has achieved all of this without any sponsorship, his family's support is incredible!

Some puzzles for you!

Here are some positions from Ajay's games. Can you find the best move in each position? You can also check the PGN to explore the full game and see how Ajay played.

Bryakin Mikhail (2447) vs Ajay Parvathareddy (2379)

Wegener Olaf (2413) vs Ajay Parvathareddy (2228)