Chess Star Vaishali Wins World Title Shot After Yoga Shift

Vaishali Rameshbabu was in last place after five rounds of the world's most prestigious chess tournament. Twelve months ago, she'd hit rock bottom at the Chennai Grand Masters, finishing dead last and questioning everything about her game.

Today, the 24-year-old Indian grandmaster is preparing to challenge for the World Chess Championship. She won her final round at the Candidates tournament under crushing pressure, securing her spot against champion Ju Wenjun.

The difference? Yoga mats, meditation cushions, and a sports psychologist.

"After she finished bottom of the Chennai Grand Masters event, which I thought was her worst performance, she has changed a lot," said her coach RB Ramesh. Vaishali started practicing yoga and meditation daily, learning to control her emotions during the intense mental battles at the chess board.

The mental shift proved crucial when self-doubt threatened to derail her Candidates run. Most players never recover from such a poor start, Ramesh explained, because the psychological pressure becomes overwhelming.

But Vaishali had built new tools. Sessions with a sports psychologist taught her to handle pressure and expectations, especially the constant comparisons to her younger brother Praggnanandhaa, himself a chess prodigy.

"It is not easy when someone like Pragg is in the family and is doing well," Ramesh acknowledged. Vaishali had actually been the stronger player when they were younger, but struggled when her brother's rating surpassed hers.

She focused on her own game instead of the comparisons. The yoga and meditation helped her retain control in crunch moments, keeping her mind responding optimally when it mattered most.

Why This Inspires

Vaishali's comeback story shows how taking care of mental health can unlock performance we didn't know we had. She didn't just train harder at chess after her worst tournament. She stepped back and addressed the emotional and psychological challenges that were holding her back.

Her willingness to seek help from a sports psychologist and try new approaches like yoga demonstrates the kind of courage that creates champions. In a game of pure mental competition, she recognized that training the mind's resilience mattered as much as studying chess positions.

Now she's stepped out of her brother's shadow not by denying the comparisons exist, but by building the mental strength to play her own game anyway.