Abhimanyu Mishra, a remarkable 16-year-old chess prodigy from the United States, has truly captivated the global chess scene. Already recognized as the youngest Grandmaster in history, he recently made headlines again by defeating the reigning World Champion, D Gukesh, at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025. This impressive win not only highlights his incredible talent but also underscores his extraordinary journey, filled with early successes and unwavering dedication.
Abhimanyu Mishra Defeats Gukesh
• On September 8, 2025, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Abhimanyu triumphed over 19-year-old World Champion D Gukesh in Round 5 of the Grand Swiss.
• The match unfolded over 61 moves, with Mishra taking advantage of a blunder made by Gukesh on the 12th move.
• With this victory, Mishra became the youngest player ever to defeat a reigning world champion in classical chess.
• He broke Gata Kamsky’s 33-year-old record, who had previously beaten Garry Kasparov at the age of 17.
Early Achievements and Records
- Youngest International Master (2019): Achieved the title at 10 years, 9 months, 20 days.
- Youngest Grandmaster (2021): Secured the record at 12 years, 4 months, 25 days in Budapest, surpassing Sergey Karjakin’s 19-year-old record.
- Youngest to Defeat a Reigning World Champion (2025): At 16, defeating Gukesh.
Chess Journey and Training
- Introduced to chess at age 2 years, 8 months, encouraged by his parents to avoid screen addiction.
- Began competing in tournaments at age 5.
- Coaches: Indian Grandmasters Arun Prasad Subramanian and Magesh Chandran guided his development.
Current Standing
- FIDE Classical Rating: 2611.
- Live Rating (Grand Swiss 2025): 2637.2.
- World Ranking (Live): 94th, entering the top 100 for the first time.
