It was a sweet double for city boy L.N. Ram Aravind in the recently-concluded Asian Youth Chess Championship in Iran.

A class 6 student of Kamala Niketan Montessori School here, he pocketed the under-10 title (open category) in the standard and blitz formats.

The youngster achieved a similar feat two years ago when he bagged the under-8 title in both formats in the championship.

In the standard format, Ram Aravind, who trains at Chess Gurukul in Chennai, scored 7.5 points (six wins and three draws) from nine rounds to emerge victorious.

“The third round which I drew with G.M.H. Thilakaratne of Sri Lanka was the toughest,” said the young champion.

The FIDE master booked a berth for the event after clinching the title in the national under-9 chess tournament held in Ahmadabad in October last year.

In the blitz event, which demands quick thinking and decision making abilities, at the Asian championship, Ram Aravind won all the seven rounds to win the title.

“I just enjoy playing blitz chess,” he says.

The youngster has set his sights on the World Youth Chess Championship (standard format) to be held later this year.

Aiming for gold

He will be competing in the under-10 category for the second time in the championship. He bagged the bronze medal in Slovenia last year and secured under-8 silver medal in 2011 at Brazil.

“I am aiming for a gold medal this time,” he says confidently.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapally / by Staff Reporter / Tiruchi – July 01st, 2013