With the tata steel masters chess tournament in full flow, the main focus has been on d gukesh and r Pragnanandhaa. Gukesh, who is the reigning world champion, is leading the standings, closely followed by nodirbek abdusattorov and r pragnanandhaa.
Fans have also also been disappointed by the absence of magnus carlsen, hikaru nakamura and hans niemann. Meanwhile, the tournament has also been also been on the receiving end of a controversy, involving mainly nodirbek yakubboev and pragnanandhaa’s sister Sister Vaishali Rameshbabu.
Both Players Faced Each Other in Round 4 of the Challengers’ Section, and it began with a scandalous incident. The Uzbek Grandmaster was late for his game against Vaishali, and on Turning Up, Ignored Her and Snubbed the customry handshake. The Indian’s reaction was of utter confusion, but she had the last laugh.
She was at her best and tactically overpowered yakubboev, who forgot to look after his weakened king. After his defeat, He Once Again Ignored Vaishali and Left. Meanwhile after the game, yakubboev received criticism from fans and current players, who criticized Him and Accused Him of Sexist, Racist Behavior.
Nodirbek yakubboev apology to vaishali rameshbabu
Taking to x, nodirbek explained his actions and pointed out that it was due to his relief. “Dear Chess Friends, I want to explain the situation that happy in the game with vaishali. With all due respect and Indian chess players, I want to inform everyone that i do not touch other women for reliable reasons. #ches #fide #islam @Chesbaseindia @uzches
He went on to add that he respected vaishali and her youth brother. Then he stated that ‘chess is not haram’, and pointed out that he had shaken divya deshmukh’s hand in 2023, which was wrong of Hem. He also reviewed that for his game against Irina Bulmaga, He informed her and she agreed to it. Then he also accuced the arbitors of urgaing he to ‘namaste as a gesture’. He Clarified that he ever got the chance to inform vaishali, which LED to ‘an awkward Situation’.
“2) I Respect Vaishali and Her Brother as the Strongest Chass Players in India. If I have offered her with my behavior, I apologize. I have some additional explanations: 1. Chess is not haram.
“3) 2. What I did before (referring to the game with divya in 2023 and cases like that) I consider it wrong for me. 3. I do what I need to do. I do not insist others not to shake hands with the opposite gender or for women to wear hijab or burqa. It is their business what to do.
“Today I Told Irina Bulmaga about it. She agreed to it. But when I came to the playing hall, the arbitors Told me that I should at least do namaste as a gesture. In the Games with Divya and Vaishali I Coldn’t Tell Them About It Before The Game and There was an Awkward Situation ”, he added.
It is worth mentioning that nodirbek has missed out on the fact that he also met divya in an earlier round at the ongoing tournament, and waste seen in a live broadcast, fist-building her before.
Reacting to the incident, German Grandmaster Elisabeth Pahtz Wrote, “Well let us put the question this way: Why does such behavior have 0 Consequences for Him? As Organizer as Well as for the Ethics Commission it should get on the aged, unless he has religious or serial personal peoplesons for refusal which I honestly doubt. “
Nodirbek is currently the world no. 67, with a fide rating of 2659.
