CLUTCH CHESS LEGENDS | VISHY ANAND VS. GARRY KASPAROV | DAY 1

 

CHESS | GARRY KASPAROV ON MAGNUS CARLSEN

 

ICELAND'S FIRST CHESS GRANDMASTER HAS PASSED AWAY AT 90

Fridrik Olafsson, Iceland’s first Grandmaster and the fourth President of FIDE, has sadly passed away aged 90. 

A six-time national champion and two-time Nordic Chess Champion, he led the global chess body from 1978 to 1982. Our condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.

Fridrik Olafsson (1935-2025) - Obituary: https://www.fide.com/fridrik-olafsson-1935-2025/

THE FIRST WOMAN TO EARN THE TITLE OF GRANDMASTER | NONA GAPRINDASHVILLI

On January 11, 1965, Nona Gaprindashvili—the first woman to earn the title of Grandmaster and the fifth Women’s World Champion (‘62-‘78) playing against 28 men at once in Dorset, Great Britain.

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YOUNG BOBBY FISCHER TAKES ON SENIORS At MANHATTAN CHESS CLUB

On October 7, 1957, 14-year-old Bobby Fischer takes on a group of senior memebers in an simultaneous match in Manhattan Chess Club. He beat them all in half an hour. 

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CHESS PRODIGY GUKESH BEATS DING TO BECOME THE YOUNGEST WORLD CHAMPION

AP

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion Thursday after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore.

Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22.

The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.

After securing victory, Dommaraju burst into tears and raised his arms in celebration.

“I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realized the dream (and made it) into reality,” he told reporters after his win.

Dommaraju is now the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.

“It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India... and for me, a very personal moment of pride,” Anand, who has been a mentor to Dommaraju, said in a post on X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the 18-year-old on his “remarkable accomplishment,” calling it “the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination.”

“His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence,” Modi said in a post on X.

Thursday’s match was a 14-round long-time classical event with a prize fund of $2.5 million.

- AP

'NEEDS A BOOSTER CUSHION': 8-YEAR-OLD CHESS PLAYER WHO REPRESENTS SINGAPORE YOUNGEST TO BEAT GRANDMASTER

Ashwath Kaushik at the Sunway Chess Open in December 2023. (Photo: X/Kaushiksriram)

 

 SINGAPORE: For most chess players, beating a grandmaster would rank near the top of their sporting achievements. 

Ashwath Kaushik, aged eight, did just that on Sunday (Feb 18), clinching victory over Polish grandmaster Jacek Stopa at the Burgdorfer Stadthaus Open in Switzerland. 

At 37, Stopa is nearly five times older than Ashwath, but the boy, who represents Singapore, was unfazed en route to becoming the youngest player to defeat a grandmaster in classical chess. 

A grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can achieve.

The previous record was only set several weeks earlier when Serbia's Leonid Ivanovic, who is several months older than Ashwath, beat 60-year-old Bulgarian grandmaster Milko Popchev at the Belgrade Open. 

Currently ranked world No. 37338 on FIDE, the international chess federation, Ashwath told Chess.com his win over Stopa "felt really exciting and amazing".

"I felt proud of my game and how I played, especially since I was worse at one point but managed to come back from that," he added.

CHESS: ANAND VS. CARLSEN | MATCH NUMBER 4.

Chess Grandmasters clashed in the 4th match in India.