Himal is International Master

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, August 14 

Himal Gusain has become the first chess player from city to get the International Master title from FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs). 

The 23-year-old's next target is to become a Grandmaster as he already has one GM norm and needs two more norms to become a Grandmaster. Gusain has recently played in three Grandmasters’ events abroad. In the 26th Open International Tournament of Kavala (Group A) in Greece, he finished a respectable sixth, scoring 6.5 points out of nine. In a tourney in which 13 Grandmasters and 12 International Masters were competing, Gusain drew with three Grandmasters, defeated one International Master and remained unbeaten in the tournament. 

Chandigarh Chess Association secretary Vipnesh Bhardwaj and vice-president Naveen Bansal congratulated Gusain on his good performance. He currently holds the world ranking of 1783. In India, he is ranked 55, his Asian ranking is 196.