Introducing GM Arun

GM Arun Prasad Subramanian has already introduced himself to chess.com readers through a dozen excellent opening articles along with friend and GM colleague Magesh; nevertheless I am belatedly providing some introduction to his chess life and games.

Arun was born in 1988 in Salem, Tamil Nadu, India. Already by the age of 15, he was a very strong player (high 2300s fide), and I was able to read about his exploits on the chessbase news page. In that year, 2004, he won the Asian Sub-Junior Championship and the Asian Junior Chess Championships in the under 16 division, in strong fields featuring many IMs. In 2008, he finished the requirements for his Grandmaster title when he crossed 2500 fide at the Philadelphia International. He had already accumulated 4 GM norms by then, and, to restate his point, made an emphatic fifth norm the next week at the World Open.

His accomplishments also include a place on the Indian National Team in the years 2007 and 2008. His rating has now risen to 2550, and he is currently a professional player, sponsored by the Bharat Petroleum Corp. I first met Arun at the Gausdal Open in Norway in April of 2008. He immediately came across as a very friendly young man, and a very serious chess player. His advancement in the last year has been a pleasure to observe.

Here are two games of his from his successful visit to Philadelphia last summer, and a big win from his most recent tournament in Dubai this month: