All India Chess Masters: Panvel's Pallavi Yadav Aces Exams With 95.60% While Shining In Chess

It is the season of school examination results and Panvel's Pallavi Yadav has cracked that test with flying colours while she blazes a trail in the game of chess as well.

The 16-year-old Pallavi cleared her 10th standard SSC board examination with an excellent 95.60 percent and post that is featuring at the All-India Chess Masters FIDE Rating Chess Championship currently being held at the Russian House, Peddar Road.

"I started playing at the age of around six or seven years of age. I've taken part in State and Nationals. I've played Nationals three times and State also I have played three times."

The teenager has participated and won several tournaments and is seen as an emerging players in the Mumbai chess circles.

"I have won several tournaments but the most prominent ones are the NMMC Mayors Cup in 2018. I was also district champion in Raigad in the last few years," he added.

Having completed her 10th standard, Pallavi is now exploring her options.

"I finished my 10th standard so I'm now exploring my options. I got 95.60 percent in SSC examinations."

Talking about the current tournament she is playing, Pallavi revealed it was her second time.

"The present tournament I have played rapid before but classical this is my first time."

Pallavi has a good FIDE rating. In classical, she has a rating of 1542 and in rapid its 1400.

"I balance both studies and chess quite well, Since I was in second standard, I started coaching. Now, also I do online coaching and chess coaching. Initially I was going to White Knight Chess Academy in Panvel for coaching."

She practises for almost 4-5 hours although she has not been training a lot lately.

The student of MMS School in Panvel plans to take up chess professionally.

"With regard to my future plans, I'll continue playing chess but my academics will go hand in hand. Yes, I do want to take up chess professionally."

A strong support system at home is crucial to any sportsperson's success and it is no different in Pallavi's case.

"They support me well. My mom is a teacher and my dad is an advocate. He is currently working as a stenographer in Belapur the court.

I have a little brother, who also plays chess."

Pallavi feels her learnings about chess have evolved in the last few years.

"I am preparing my openings in 2-3 years and now I feel I have to work more on the endgame," she added.

She reminisced that the toughest chess she has played thus far was against a Candidate Master (CM).

"I have played one Candidate Master (CM) in a rapid tournament and that was the toughest for me. I lost but I gained a lot of experience," she added.

Pallavi looks upto Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand in her own sport and double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu outside of it.

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