An Unexpected Triumph
Now what would you expect an 8-year-old kid to do? Maybe play in the backyard, develop a hobby, or participate in sports. I wouldn’t say you’re wrong to think of all or any of that because 8 years of age is still too young to dream big, do the impossible things, and kind of correct what is norm, what many of us have lived our lives by. But then again, this year started off on us being corrected and reminded never ever to underestimate kids.
A Game of Brilliance
A teenager, all of just 13, Willis Gibson, destroyed Tetris. If Tetris was human, it would have cried. If not only because of the unbelievable loss, then surely of the humiliation of crumbling against a kid. Someone else is in Tetris’s shoes now. I’ll tell you a little more on this.
Indian-born Singaporean Ashwath Kaushik defied all odds and executed a historic chess game. His celebrations may not have been as wild as that of Willis Gibson, but the achievement is just as brilliant. 8-year-old Ashwath Kaushik on Sunday beat Grandmaster Yasek Stop in a game of classical chess. So who’s a Grandmaster now?
The Grandmaster Title
A Grandmaster is the highest title awarded in chess, aside from that of the world champion title. In order to become a Grandmaster, a player must reach a FIDE rating of 2,500. It’s incredible. We’ve spoken about FIDE ratings here in the past. It’s basically equivalent to your rank and your position. The rating point is a code to show where you stand in that list the world over. So in say Tetris terms, a Grandmaster is close to level 157. And then an 8-year-old beating a Grandmaster is a remarkable achievement.
A Historic Triumph
The historic triumph came in round four. This was Ashwath Kaushik’s fourth consecutive win at the tournament. Reflecting on his win, Ashwath Kaushik said, “It felt really exciting and amazing, and I felt proud of my game and how I played, especially since I was worse at one point but managed to come back from it.” Quite the controlled statement from an 8-year-old.
With this win, Ashwath Kaushik, at the age of 8 years, 6 months, and 11 days, became the youngest player ever to defeat a Grandmaster. He has broken the barrier that was established just last month. Leonid Ivanovich from Serbia became the first player under the age of nine to defeat a Grandmaster in a classical tournament game. But as they say, records are meant to be broken. Ashwath Kaushik shattered that record by almost 5 months.
He now joins a prestigious list of young talents Indian-born who have beaten Grandmasters. The list has, of course, the world’s youngest Grandmaster ever, Abimanyu Mishra, and of course, India’s rising chess prodigy, R. Praggnanandhaa. All of these under 11 years old when they did this and of course when they scripted history. And Ashwat is not just part of the list, but he’s the topper in that.
Players like Ashwath Kaushik are rewriting history books with their triumphs. And thus, this tweet from Anish Giri, another Grandmaster, sums up the achievement: “8 is the new 12.” It’s like everyone under eight will now have a task in hand to beat that record and do better.
Ashwat’s Journey
So what’s Ashwath Kaushik’s story then? He was born in India and has been living in Singapore for 6 years now. This isn’t Ashwath Kaushik’s first major achievement as well. He won triple gold in the under eight category of the Eastern Asian youth championships in 2022. He also learned the chess rules at the age of four. Imagine that.
But Ashwat doesn’t come with chess in his family, unlike say, Praggnanandhaa. No one in his family plays the game. And thus, Ash’s achievement was a bit shocking even for his father. “It’s surreal as there isn’t any sports tradition in our families. Every day is a new discovery, and we sometimes stumble in search of the right pathway for him.”
With this kind of smarts and talents, maybe you don’t need a background in chess. But for an 8-year-old to achieve this is still incredible. It’s safe to say Ashwath Kaushik was meant to do this. His demeanor, his quiet celebration, and a very mature remark right after the win just makes him a good fit for this. At 8 years of age, this is incredible.
A Rarity and the Future Ahead
But here’s the catch. I showed you a list of the youngest Indian-born players who’ve beaten Grandmasters. But if I had to give you a number of kids 10 years and under who have triumphed over Grandmasters, then there have been just 12. Only 12 the world over. And out of that list, only one has gone on to become a Grandmaster himself. The other is on the path to becoming one and whose future looks bright. Of course, Praggnanandhaa is whom I’m referring to.
So not every unbelievable achievement will translate to a fantastic career, but not all will be a flash in the pan either. But this chess player’s story has definitely started off in the best possible way.
Who is Ashwath Kaushik?
Ashwath Kaushik, an 8-year-old Indian-born Singaporean chess player.
What did Ashwath Kaushik achieved?
He defeated a Grandmaster (Yasek Stop) in a classical chess game, becoming the youngest player ever to do so.
How old was Ashwath Kaushik when he achieved this?
 years, 6 months, and 11 days old.
What was the previous record?
9 years old, held by Leonid Ivanovich from Serbia.
Is this Ashwath Kaushik first major achievement?
No, he won triple gold in the under-8 category of the Eastern Asian youth championships in 2022.
What makes Ashwath Kaushik‘s achievement even more remarkable?
He comes from a family with no chess background, making his natural talent even more evident.
He displayed maturity and composure beyond his years, both during the game and after his win.
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