India’s 23-year-old GM Vaishali Rameshbabu (Peak rating: 2506) sat down at the chessboard to play Uzbekistan’s 23-year-old GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (Peak rating: 2668) at the Tata Steel Challengers tournament in the Netherlands in January 2025
He Would NOT Shake Her Hand!
by
John Bain
As Nodirbek approached the board, Vaishali offered her hand.
Nordirbek declined the handshake with a quiet, small, modest, gentle, and slow hand gesture with his left wrist–a “very slight movement of the wrist.”
Nodirbek seated himself, and they began to play the chess game WITHOUT a handshake.
Vaishali went on to win the game. See final position of the game below!
23-year-old GM Vaishali Rameshbabu
The media was outraged. Media accusations of misogyny, religious bigotry, xenophobia and racism carried the day–and garnered thousands of social media “clicks” from around the world.
However, 23-year-old would have nothing to do with the “righteous indignation,” and she exuded nothing but grace and maturity.
After Nodirbek apologized explaining his beliefs and intentions, she said to him, “…it’s clearly understandable. I didn’t take it that way, so we didn’t have to feel bad. You actually apologized. It’s totally fine. You don’t have to worry about it.”
23-year-old GM Nodirbek Yakubboev
“I’m sorry for what happened. It was an awkward situation for both of us. I was hurrying that day. It looks like some misunderstanding. …I respect you and your brother both. …and all the Indian chess players,” Yakubboev said while apologizing to Vaishali, her mother and her brother GM Praggnanandha in a video shared by ChessBase India.
Yakubboev had neglected to inform the tournament director of his religious beliefs and practices. He forgot to ask the tournament director to notify his opponents that he does not shake hands or otherwise touch females due to his religious practices.
Beautiful Flowers, Chocolates & Smiles
Says It all!
After the media’s attempt to sensationalize the “Handshake Furor” event, the Uzbek GM Nodirbek met with Vaishali, her mother and her brother to apologize in person, and gifted her flowers and chocolate.
Contagious smiles spread all around. The “Handshake Furor” YouTube video dispelled all the media hype and speculation of misogyny, religious bigotry, xenophobia, racism, and “righteous indignation,” etc.
She Vaishali’s country India is approximately 80% Hindu and 15% Islam; whereas, Yakubboev’s country Uzbekistan is 95% Islam.
“The Handshake Furor” is somewhat symbolic of world affairs and the challenges in understanding and respecting each other’s ethnicity, culture, religion, customs, politics and geopolitical interests.
The world has grown significantly more balkanized the past 58 years, since and despite the musical “Hair” and the song “The Age of Aquarius” being firs performed in 1967!
Balkanization is the fragmentation of an area, country, or region into multiple smaller and hostile units,, usually cased by misunderstandings and differences in ethnicity, culture, religion, customs, politics and geopolitical interests.
Vaishali, her mother & brother Pragg
accept
Nodirbek’s Apology
Mother Nagalakshmi, brother GM Pragg and GM Vaishali all graciously and maturely with smailes accepted GM Nodirbek’s apology!
Mother Knows Best!
Now the only question remaining is would mother give her daughter’s hand in marriage and a blessing to GM Nodirbek Yakubboev should a courtship ensue and he or she proposes marriage?!
Chess and Romance!
Children for Magnus & Ella?!
Would anyone really be surprised if these two 23-year-old chess Grandmasters–one from india and one from Uzbekistan–one day court each other, date each other, become betrothed and marry?
A Season of Romance
in the
ChessWorld!
Recently the chess world has witnessed several romances culminating in marriage.
Magnus Carlsen Marries!
The world’s #1 rated chess player, Denmark’s GM Magnus Carlsen Married Denmark’s Ella Victoria Malone at the Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo on January 4, 2025.
Hikaru Nakamura Marries!
The world’s #2 rated chess player and richest chess player in the world, USA’s Hikaru Nakamura married WGM Iran’s Atousa Pourkashiyan in July 2023.
An Apology with Flowers and Chocolates!
GM Nodirbek Yakubboev
Apology Accepted
GM Vaishali Rameshbabu
What’s Vaishali’s Final Crushing Move?
Nodirbek Resigns!
Vaishali is behind a pawn–or down a pawn as some say.
Nodirbeck played 32. Bd7. See diagram above.
Nodirbek can NOT play 32. Rxb6 capturing the Queen due to Vaishali’s threat 32. Rc1+ followed by a back rank checkmate!
After Nodirbek played 32. Bd7, Vaishali played the winning move, 32. …Bxd4 capturing the Knight!
If Nodirbek plays 33. exd4 capturing the Bishop, then Vaishali plays 33. Rxc6 winning the Rook and maintaining the back rank checkmate threat!
Nodirbek resigned after Vaishali played 32. …Bxd4!
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Vaishali & Nodirbek Play Chess!
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