Punjab gets another International Master - Namitbir Singh Walia

Two norms in a month

In October 2025, Namitbir Singh Walia from Punjab completed his final IM norm at the Annemasse Chess Festival in France. He remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, scored 6.5/9, finished fourth overall, achieved a performance rating of 2502, and gained 12.3 Elo points in the tournament.

For Namitbir, the road to the IM title was about building self-belief. “There are countless moments when you feel stuck. Rating dips, tough losses, missed norms. During such times, belief becomes your anchor. You can have preparation and talent, but unless you trust yourself at the board, you cannot convert opportunities into results. Earning the IM title taught me that confidence is a skill you build, not something you are born with,” he says.

First IM norm: 3rd Rudar GM Round Robin chess tournament 2023 in Serbia

Namitbir needed 5 points out of 9 to secure his first IM norm. He scored 6/9 and achieved the norm with one round to spare. He beat GM Nikolov Momchil in the tournament and performed at a rating of 2546. Here are three games from that tournament that played a key role in Namitbir securing his first IM norm.

Second IM norm: IM Round-Robin tournament 2025 in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The second IM norm came in 2025 at the IM Round-Robin tournament held in Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He scored an impressive 7 out of 9 points and performed at a rating of 2450, moving one big step closer to the IM title.

Third IM Norm: Annemasse Chess Festival 2025 in Annemasse, France

The final norm came in October 2025 at the Annemasse Chess Festival in Annemasse, France. He went through the tournament unbeaten, scored an excellent 6.5 points out of 9, finished fourth overall, achieved a performance rating of 2502, and gained 12.3 Elo points. With this result, he secured his third and final IM norm, officially earning the International Master title! Namitbir also analysed two of his games from this tournament for our readers.

The third game that Namitbir has analysed for us is from the 31st Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival.

Throughout this journey, Namitbir has received strong support from his coaches, family, and friends. Speaking about his family’s role, he shared, “My family has been the backbone of my success. They have supported me both emotionally and financially. Whenever I go through tough phases, they are always there to cheer me up. My mom has travelled with me for most of my tournaments, which helped a lot.”

Behind Namitbir’s rise, there is a team of coaches who guided him at different stages of his journey. His early training began in Punjab with local coaches Bharat Bhushan, Kanwerjit Singh, and Balwinder Singh, who helped build his foundation in the game. During the lockdown, he trained under GM Aleksander Goloshchapov from Ukraine through online group sessions until 2023. That experience brought new depth to his preparation. For the past two years, Namitbir has been working closely with GM GN Gopal, whom he calls his mentor and guide. “He has helped me a lot in growing as a player,” Namitbir says. More recently, he also began working with GM Swayams Mishra, focusing on the mental side of the game. “He helped me deal with my psychological issues. I attended his group sessions for a year and recently had a few one-on-one sessions as well,” he shares.

In fact, after Namitbir achieved his International Master title, GM Swayams Mishra shared a heartfelt post on Instagram. He wrote:

"I’ve been helping Namitbir Singh Walia over the past four months on an individual level. Having seen him attend my group sessions, I always believed he was strong enough to become an International Master, but for one reason or another, he often fell short. Together, we identified the underlying issues and worked systematically toward solutions. While there’s still progress to be made, he implemented significant changes that helped him achieve his final two IM norms and ultimately earn his IM title—highlighted by an impressive 4th-place finish at the 3rd Annemasse International Festival – Masters Tournament in France, where he secured his final norm with one round to spare. Congratulations to @namitbir_singh for his hard work and dedication, and to his family and coaches for their unwavering support throughout his journey."

Having training partners makes a big difference in any player’s journey, and for Namitbir, it made all the difference. For him, training never felt like a lonely grind. He was always surrounded by dedicated and supportive training partners. “Training with friends makes the whole process more interesting and fun. We discuss new ideas, novelties, and many new things. Some of these ideas even played a key role in the tournaments where I scored my norms,” he explains. Soham, Garv, and Rishi, along with a few others, were his regular training partners. “They were always there to support me, and I am really thankful for their contribution to my progress,” he says.

Coming from a state with very limited chess exposure and very few titled players, Namitbir understands the challenges faced by aspiring players in Punjab. Yet, he has a positive message for them:

“Even if you come from a place where chess is not very popular or resources are limited, you can still go far. Start with whatever you have. Online videos, free tools, small events, playing with friends. Today, top resources, books, courses, and coaching are all available online. Do not get discouraged if progress feels slow. Stay consistent, stay curious, and keep dreaming big,” he shared.

When asked what Punjab needs to build a stronger chess culture, Namitbir shared, “Punjab is far behind other states in terms of chess culture. There are only a handful of active players and very few good coaches. There are hardly any FIDE-rated tournaments, which deprives upcoming players of valuable experience. There is also a lack of government support compared to states like Tamil Nadu. To build a stronger culture, we need more tournaments, more exposure, and government initiatives like scholarships. That is how players will feel encouraged to pursue the game seriously.”

Gratitude is one of Namitbir’s strongest qualities, and it clearly reflects in the way he speaks about his journey. “I am truly thankful to God and to everyone who has stood by me throughout this journey. My family, my coaches, my friends, my training partners, and the entire chess community. I am especially grateful to ChessBase India for always supporting Indian players and sharing our stories. It really motivates players like me to keep working hard and moving forward,” he says.

What makes success truly beautiful is sharing it with the ones who walked beside you from day one!