G.N.Gopal Becomes Kerala's First GM
By Arvind Aaron

International Master G.N.Gopal became India's latest and Kerala's first  Grand Master. He made his third and final norm in the ongoing Asian 3.2 Zonal Championship in progress at Dhaka last night.

Gopal completed the three GM norm requirements. He made a 10-game Norm from
the International Open at Kolkata in March, a nine-game all-pla-all norm from the Lake Sevan Category 12 Tournament at Armenia in July. His latest is the nine game GM norm from the Zone 3.2 Championship last night at the NSC Conference Room in Dhaka on August 29.

Gopal comes from Aluva in Kerala and has no sponsor. "My father is paying my chess expenses but he cant do it all the time," Gopal said in a recent interview. His new status as the first GM should help find new support from sponsors in Kerala.

Gopal is a 1989-born 2480 rated player. He is also expected to cross the 2500 mark in the coming lists and get the GM title in the coming list itself.


Indian champion Surya Shekhar Ganguly of Indian Oil, Kolkata won the Asian Zone 3.2 Chess Championship by defeating GM-Elect G.N.Gopal 2-0 in the rapid play-off to win the title on tie-break.

Both players shared USD 850 first-second cash prize by winning their final eleventh round to finish on 9/11.

G.Rohit finished third with eight points and Deepan Chakkaravarthy took the fourth place with seven points.

Women's champion WGM Dronavalli Harika picked up USD 600. The Zone 3.2 Championship ended in a sweep by the Indians. Ganguly and Harika will represent the Zone in the World Cup at Siberia later this year.

The event took place at the NSC Conference Room at Dhaka from Aug 23-31. GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh has been given a direct seeding to the World Cup by the FIDE President as his nominee.