Nimmy A G becomes Kerala's first Woman International Master

by Shahid Ahmed - 01/12/2023

Nimmy A G became Kerala's first Woman International Master in May 2023. She earned her first WIM-norm in 2006 and fulfilled all requirements by June 2012. However, all her norms occurring in India delayed the inevitable. After scoring four norms in India, Nimmy traveled to Budapest, Hungary this year when she earned her final norm to earn the WIM title. While pursuing for the WIM title, she became an Assistant Professor at a college, became a PhD in Commerce during that time. Nimmy's fortitude shows that if you want something truly, you can balance and overcome any obstacle that is in your way. The determination and perseverance is the key to etch your name in history. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

PhD in Commerce, Assistant Professor Nimmy waited nearly eleven years

Nimmy A G started playing chess at the age of 5.5 years. Her father, Professor George taught her chess. Joined in 2013 as an Assistant Professor at Bharata Mata College. There she has completed ten years and during that time she got herself Ph.D. in Commerce. She is also a research guide. All this time, she did not give up on her passion. She kept going and nearly eleven years later, she became Kerala's first Woman International Master.

Nimmy A G is the first WIM from Kerala

PhD in Commerce, Nimmy A G becomes Kerala's first Woman International Master | Video: ChessBase India

First WIM norm: 32nd National Women A 2006

Nimmy A G scored her first WIM-norm at 32nd National Women A 2006 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It was a 19-player round-robin event. She scored 7.5/19 to finish 13th overall. She defeated the eventual champion, WGM Swati Ghate, WGM Meenakshi S, Soumya Swaminathan (who became a WGM and IM later), drew against WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy, IM Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi and then WGM Harika Dronavalli.

Swati - Nimmy, Round 5

Position after 32.Nxd4?

WGM Swati Ghate (2262) made a greek gift sacrifice on move no.16. She found enough compensation for it. However, 32.Nxd4? allowed her opponent to get back in the game. 32...Rd8 33.Rd2 Nxd4 34.Rad1 Rxa6 35.h3 Qe7 and Black eventually went on to win the game. Nimmy handed Swati her first of the two losses of the event, before Swati went to become the champion.

Nimmy scored 7.5/19, performed at 2157 and gained 12.6 Elo rating points en route her maiden WIM-norm

Second WIM norm: 3rd Kolkata GM 2008

Almost two years later, Nimmy earned her second WIM-norm at 3rd Kolkata GM 2008 in Kolkata, West Bengal. Nimmy scored 5.5/10, performed at 2356 and gained 24.15 Elo rating points. She defeated IM Shankar Roy and Somak Palit (who became IM later), drew against IM Prathamesh Sunil Mokal.

Nimmy scored her second WIM-norm by performing at 2356 and gained 24.15 Elo rating points

Third WIM norm: 5th Mayor's Cup 2012

Nimmy crossed 2200 in the January 2008 FIDE Rating list. She earned her third and final WIM-norm at 5th Mayor's Cup 2012 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The Keralite defeated IM B S Shivananda and IM B T Murali Krishnan, scored 7.5/11, performed at 2273 and gained 31.35 Elo rating points.

Nimmy - Shivananda, Round 3

Position after 39...Qg7?

In a sharp position, IM B S Shivananda (2363) made an inaccuracy 39...Qg7? Find out the best continuation for white which Nimmy executed in the game.

Nimmy A G scored 7.5/11, performed at 2273 to score her final WIM-norm

Fourth WIM-norm: 39th National Women Premier 2012

Nimmy earned her fourth WIM-norm at 39th National Women Premier 2012. She made a blazing start 3/3 including a win over WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty. Later she also won against Pratyusha Bodda (later became a WGM), then WFM Rucha Pujari and drew against IM Nisha Mohota.

Nimmy - Kiran, Round 3

Position after 37.Rf1

Despite being worse for the better part of the game, Nimmy kept fighting agaist WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (2179). White made one last attempt to get back in the game by sacrificing her knight 37.Rf1 cxd3 38.Rfxf6+ Ke7 39.Bb4+ Kd8 40.Rxc6 dxc2+ 41.Kxc2 Rh2+ 42.Kb3 Rd3+ 43.Bc3 and White won the game in the next few moves.

Nimmy scored 4.5/11, performed at 2209 and gained 4.5 Elo rating points

Fifth WIM-norm: Vezerkepzo Pentecost IM 2023

Nimmy earned her fifth WIM-norm almost eleven years after securing her fourth norm. She had to make a norm on foreign soil. Hence her fifth normwas scored in Budapest, Hungary in May this year. She defeated IM Adam Szeberenyi and drew against IM Nhat Minh To (HUN), scored 5/9, performed at 2289 and gained 43.4 Elo rating points.

Szeberenyi - Nimmy, Round 4

Position after 36.f3

36.Nxc6 Rd1+ 37.Re1 would have kept the game going. IM Adam Szeberenyi (HUN, 2338) made a mistake 36.f3? Rc7 37.Kg2 gxf3+ 38.Rxf3 Ng4 39.Nxg4 Rxg4 and Black won the game in the next few moves.

Nimmy A G with her final WIM-norm certificate

Nimmy A G scored 5/9, performed at 2289 and gained 43.4 Elo rating points to become a Woman International Master

Silver - World Amateur Under-2300 Women 2021

GM FT Akash G | Photo: Valdemar Bednarz

Nimmy was quite strong and well experienced even before we started working together. Her major issue was a drop in confidence level as she took hiatus for her academic career. Once we started working on psychological areas, results started to come!