By Onkar Jadhav (Coach)
Genius Chess Academy
When I first met Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy, I saw in him the raw ingredients: enthusiasm, a sharp mind, but also inexperience in the rigours of competitive chess. Today, at age 15, Ajay has become the fourth International Master from Uttar Pradesh, and recent International Master from my academy-a milestone that reflects years of effort, setbacks, and growth. 
This isn’t merely his achievement—it is ours together. As his coach, I’ve witnessed every curve: the rise, the losses, the doubts—and the moment he finally crossed over.
From Foundation to Flight
Ajay’s journey began formally in 2018 at Mind Games Chess Academy, under foundational coaching by Vivek Mitra and Krishnankit Banerjee. Those early years taught him discipline and the importance of learning from early setbacks. 
After the lockdowns, his rating dropped sharply—from around 1573 in November 2021 to about 1296 by early 2022. That phase could have shattered many young players. But Ajay didn’t give up. He worked harder, pushed through demoralization. I began training him in mid-2022. My belief was: this was the time to rebuild the essentials—calculation, positional understanding, dealing with pressure.
Key Pillars of My Training Approach
Here are the elements I focused on specifically in our coaching sessions, which I believe made the critical difference in his development to IM level:
1. Patience & Positional Understanding
Ajay had a naturally attacking flair. My job was to help him balance that with quiet, strategic play—improving the times when a positional squeeze, a small edge, or an improved pawn structure mattered more than flashy tactics. Over time, he matured decisively in that area.
2. Calculation & Tactical Sharpness
We introduced daily puzzle work, mixed-tactics sessions, and analyzing tactical mistakes from his games in great detail. This strengthened his ability to capitalise when opportunities arise, and avoid losing ground when in defensive or unclear positions.
3. Analysing Losses / Recovery Mindset
When he lost rating after the lockdown, instead of suppressing that phase, we dissected it: what openings had weaknesses, where had he mis-evaluated, what psychological pressures tripped him up. Learning from failure was made part of our practice—not something to hide from. That mindset shift was crucial.
4. Tournament Readiness and Composure
Norm-hungry tournaments are high-pressure environments. We developed his stamina—mental and physical—for long rounds, unbalanced positions, facing higher-rated opponents. I emphasized consistency over one or two brilliant games; growing ability to handle setbacks mid-tournament. That is what ultimately enabled him to earn IM norms.
The Path to International Master
Ajay’s IM norms came in stages:
• First norm: Slovakia Open Piestany 2024, where he remained unbeaten and gained many Elo points.
• Second norm: Trophee Dole Pasino Grand Aix 2025—strong performances against tough opponents.
• Third and final norm: Rudar XXII Round Robin in Serbia, which sealed the title.
As of September 2025, Ajay’s FIDE rating reached 2482, his highest yet. That reflects technical strength, psychological maturity, and resilience.
What This Means – for Ajay, for Us, and the Road Ahead
For Ajay, this IM title is validation – but also a starting point. Achieving the Grandmaster title is now the next target. For us, it shows that structured coaching, honest reflections, and consistent effort do work.
From my side, coaching Ajay has taught me as much as I hope he’s learnt from me: that belief in potential must be matched with tough work; that the coach’s role involves not just teaching openings and tactics, but shaping mindset.
Together, we look forward -to stronger international tournaments, to polishing his openings, to consolidating his endgame, and to training smarter.
To young coaches and players: it’s not about innate brilliance alone -it’s about persistence, honest self-analysis, and pushing just a little further each time. Ajay’s journey is proof of that.
I am proud of what Ajay has achieved -and what more he is capable of. As his coach, nothing gives me greater satisfaction than seeing a student surpass expectations and set new ones. Here’s to the next chapter.
