In Madhya Pradesh, India, a 3-year-old child prodigy not only knows how to play international chess, but has also recently been awarded a rating by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), becoming the youngest player in the world to achieve such a rating.
According to a report by The Guardian, the young chess player named Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha is still attending kindergarten, yet at the age of 3 years, 7 months, and 20 days, he has obtained a FIDE rating, breaking the world record.
The previous record holder was another Indian child prodigy, Anish Sarkar, who achieved this milestone at the age of 3 years, 8 months, and 19 days in November last year.
A player’s rating is a score based on their performance in chess, different from their ranking. Kushwaha has obtained a rating of 1572 in rapid chess. For comparison, the current world number one in rapid chess, Norwegian chess king Magnus Carlsen, has a rating of 2824.
Kushwaha has previously defeated three rated players in tournaments in Madhya Pradesh and other regions of India, paving the way for this remarkable achievement.
His father expressed great pride and honor in his son’s accomplishment and harbors high hopes for his future, aspiring for him to become a Grandmaster, the highest title bestowed upon chess players by FIDE.
The current record holder for the youngest International Chess Grandmaster is American player Abhimanyu Mishra, who was crowned at the age of 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days a few years ago.
Kushwaha began learning chess at the age of 2 and a half, as reported by The Daily Star. His coach Nitin Chourasia mentioned that initially, he would cry in class and long for his parents. “But after a month, he calmed down. Now, apart from chess, he is not interested in anything else. Cartoons, phones, television, none of it interests him.”
Chourasia noted that Kushwaha initially seemed like an ordinary child, but soon his outstanding competitive skills began to shine through.
Since April this year, Chourasia has been providing Kushwaha with intense training – six days a week, four hours a day. This has helped him defeat three rated players and earn a FIDE rating.
In response to the exceptional performances of young chess players like Kushwaha and Sarkar, Vice President Bharat Singh Chauhan of the Asian Chess Federation remarked, “I am amazed by the performances of these prodigies. They have ample opportunities to compete, which greatly benefits their progress.”
In recent years, India has emerged as a powerhouse in international chess, producing several Grandmasters. Apart from the legendary veteran Viswanathan Anand, a five-time World Cup champion, India has nurtured a new generation of stars, including the recent youngest world champion, chess prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju.