Describing his title-winning performance in the Sanjin Hotel Cup Chess Meet as "the best-ever so far", India's Pendyala Harikrishna is now looking to make an impression in bigger events following a leap in his Elo rating.
The world junior champion won the tournament, a Category-15 Grandmasters event, by a full point, which is no mean task for a 20-year-old.
The Hyderabad-based player had a great tournament winning seven, drawing three and losing just one game against Alexander Motylev of Russia, who finished second.
"Obviously, I have many reasons to be pleased. I think this one has to be the best ever performance. I played well most of the games apart from the one against Motylev and I never was in any trouble really," Karikrishna said.
"Importantly, I will be gaining about 20 Elo rating points from here [the tournament] which will take me past the 2660 barrier. I feel life will be better thereafter as I will probably get more invitations for stronger events," he said.
Harikrishna next plans to play the open section during Mainz Chess Classics, where Viswanathan Anand will also be playing a rapid match against Alexander Grischuk in August.
"Thereafter there is Spanish League for me in which I will play for a local club there and besides I have invitations for two strong events in the next two months to come."
Harikrishna, who went home richer by US $4000, said he definitely entered the championships with his mind on winning it, though it was not really prominent.
"Of course, when I started with five victories this thought crept in time and again that I will win the championship. But I knew I still had to play the remaining games well enough," Harikrishna said.
"I was just playing my game normally thereafter, taking one game at a time. That is normally the prescribed approach."
About his best match, he said: "I think my game against Zhang Zhong can be singled out as my best effort here as there were various stages of endgame in that one."
On his lone loss against Motylev, Harikrishna was quite practical. "I guess these things happen in a strong event like this. I thought I was cruising and then Motylev beat me. I was down but I still had a lead to defend. And even though it looked a close shave, in the end the onus was on Motylev to win the last round game; he just could not."
Harikrishna said he prepared with the help of Elizbar Ubylava, who explained to him many minute details of the game in a short period.
"Well, just before this I was working with a renowned trainer like Elizbar Ubylava and that was possible because my sponsors paid for it. With immediate results I feel I also ought to thank him. He was simply outstanding in making me understand the intricacies of the game. Mainly we worked on my openings and I used some of my stuff here also successfully."
On an emotional note, the youngster, who is just out of his teens, dedicated the achievement to his grandfather who, he says, played a big role in him taking up the 64 squares.
"I dedicate this title to my late grandfather who passed away recently. He was the one to bring me in to chess and it is only thanks to his vision that I have made it thus far."
