CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has produced its 36th Grandmaster, with 22-year-old Raahul VS from Chennai earning the prestigious title through an uncommon route. Earlier this year, the FIDE handbook introduced revisions to its title regulations, allowing direct titles from select tournaments — one of which was the ASEAN Individual Open Chess Championship Governor Henry S Oaminal Cup.

Raahul topped this event in convincing fashion, clinching the championship with a score of 7/9 and a round to spare and achieving the Grandmaster title in the process. His current live rating stands at 2460.

An Asian Junior Champion, Raahul had earlier reached the International Master (IM) title in 2021, securing his fourth and fifth IM norms before crossing the 2400 rating threshold.

Speaking to DT Next about his j

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