Geetha Narayanan Gopal

Gopal was born in a Nair family in Muvattupuzha as the second son of Prof B. Narayana Pillai and Prof Geetha Prakasini. He has an elder brother Gokul who is a Computer Engineer.

Gopal started chess at the age of 10. He was initiated to chess by his father. He won his first National Championship in Chandigarh in 2001. He became the National Junior champion (U-20) at the age of 15 in 2004. He won his first international championship in his first international exposure in 2003 in Dubai Juniors, Dubai.

Gopal is working as Assistant Manager in Bharat Petroleum. He lives in Aluva.

Key achievements

• Created history at the age of 18 by becoming Kerala's first & sixteenth Grand Master of the country.

National events

• Gold in National Junior (U-20) 2004 in Tirupathi (2004)
• Silver in National Premier (Men's) Championship in Delhi (Dec 2010)
• Tied for second spot in the National Premier (Men's) Championship in Chennai (2008)
• Gold in National U-12 Rapid in Chandigarh (2001)
• Silver in National Junior in Delhi (August 2006)

Asian events

• Bronze medal in the Asian Games 2010 held in Guangzhou, China (Nov 2010)
• Silver in Asian Team Championship in China (May 2012)
• Silver in Asian Zonals Dhaka 2007
• Silver in Asian Team Championship, Vizag, 2008 and Gold medal on board-4 for individual performance
• Bronze for board performance in Asian Team Blitz Championship (May 2012)
• Bronze in Asian Sub-Junior Championship, Teheran, 2004
• Qualified to the FIDE World Cup from the Asian Continental Championship in Philippines, 2007

Olympiads and World Team 2010

Olympiads: He has represented India in three successive Chess Olympiads namely Dresden 2008,Khanty-Mansiysk 2010 and Istanbul 2012

World Team Chess Championship 2010: His team India won bronze in the prestigious World Team 2010

Other Achievements

• Created history at the age of 17 by becoming Kerala's first International Master
• He was one of the four members of the Indian Men's Team in the India- Israel match (April 2012)- In which India beat Israel
• Silver in Commonwealth U-20 Championship, Mumbai, 2006
• Silver in Commonwealth U-18 Championship, Mumbai, 2004
• Gold in Dubai Open Junior, 2003
• Joint Winner with GM's Yuri Vovk and Li Chao in Lake Sevan-2007 international (Armenia)
• Joint Winner in Gloria Arroyo Cup, Manila, Philippines 2009
• Joint Winner in Dubai Open Blitz 2009, in Dubai
• Second in University Twente Young Masters, Enschede, Netherlands,2009
• Second in Gjovik International Open, Norway,2009
• Second in Banja Luka Grandmasters Tournament, Bosnia 2008
• Second in Gausdal Classics, Norway 2008.
• Second in Under-14-Saharanpur International Open, 2003
• Tied for third spot in Gibraltar Masters 2008, UK
• Tied for third spot in Bosna 2010 in May 2010,Bosnia
• Third in U-20 in Zurich Jubilee Open 2009, Switzerland
• Silver in National Sub Junior Super League ( Jan 2004)
• Bronze in National Premier Championship in Chennai (Feb 2008)
• Bronze in National Sub Junior in Calicut (2003)
• Bronze in National Sub junior Rapid in Calicut (2004)
• Winner of Wipro Young Super genius in Cochin (2003)
• Winner of Sub-Junior section of 1st TATA all India Open tournament, Jamshedpur,2004
• Winner of 1st Trichi National Open,Trichi. scored 9.5/11 (2006)
• Represented India in the World Mind Sports Games (WMSG) in Beijing, 2008 which was held for the first time.

He received the prestigious Tigran Mets Medal during the Lake Sevan 2007 where he was the joint winner. "The Tigran Mets Medal" is a highly prestigious and very special honor of the Republic of Armenia.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Geetha Narayanan Gopal.

• Geetha Narayanan Gopal player profile and games at Chessgames.com