PUNE, JULY 29: The computer is a modern marvel that no chess player with ambitions of going far can ignore. In fact, it's a necessity. The absence of the equipment has been a handicap in the progress of promising Neelotpal Das (17).But the title triumph at the All India Open in Aurangabad - worth Rs 55,000 in prize money - winning the first Open tournament here, has given him the financial strength to buy a personal computer.``It was difficult for my dad to buy me a computer. So I knew I will have to win tournaments like this to realise my dream. Buying it is now a priority,'' says the son of a state government clerk.``It's becomes very tough to play against players owning computers as they practise against it for hours on end. The biggest advantage of having a computer chess software is that you can analyse your game and work on your theory,'' he explains.Das's sights are now on becoming a Grandmaster by the year 2001. Says the 10th standard student: ``The path to becoming a GM is expensive as it means exposure to playing tournaments in Europe. I don't have any sponsorship help, but thanks to the likes of Vishwanathan Anand, the corporate sector looks favourably at chess as an investment. Hopefully, my performances will be taken note of by potential sponsors.''Das was nine when he exhibited his latent talents by winning his first competitive tournament - the 1992 under-10 Nationals at Ahmedabad. The maiden title was won was solely as a result of work put in at home, he says.Das was soon registered with the Alekhine Chess Club (Calcutta), from where progressed into the special coaching group and then into the Goodricke Chess Academy.``The academy helped me a lot. Coach Bipin Shenoy and Shyamal Bhattacharya guided us in every possible manner, from preparing new theories to deciding what tournaments we should play in.''Das's career graph is encouraging. He completed his first IM norm in 1998 at the Goodricke, got his second at Spain in June the same year, and the title seven months laer at Goodricke. He played the first National `A' in 1998 at Muzaffarpur and the second at Nagpur this year, finishing in the top 10 on both occasions.Winning the National under-25 at Muzaffarpur gave him the opportunity to take part in the World Under-25 Championship at Argentina in 1996. But absence of sponsorship forced him to abort the chance - something that has been a regret.Das may seem like any other teenager with a love for reading Phantom and Mandrake comics. But behind that exterior lies an intelligent player good enough to beat Grandmaster Nigel Short (Britain). The win over Short in the at Dhaka this year is Das's most cherished moment.``It was a good game and I played boldly with the black pieces, knowing that I have nothing to lose,'' he says.MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS1992: Won the U-10 Nationals at Ahmedabad1993: Won the U-12 Nationals1994: Got FIDE rating in his first Goodricke meet1996: Won the U-25 Nationals at Muzaffarpur1997: Finished 2nd in National `B' at Calicut1998: First IM norm in Goodricke meet1999: Completed the IM title norm at Goodricke meet1999: Won the All-India Open at Aurangabad
