India (Commonwealth Union)_ A remarkable demonstration of talent and determination has propelled eight-year-old Ashwath Kaushik of Indian descent, representing Singapore, into the annals of chess history. At the Burgdorfer Stadthaus Open in Switzerland, Ashwath achieved an extraordinary feat by defeating Polish Grandmaster Jacek Stopa, making him the youngest player ever to defeat a Grandmaster in classical chess. This victory not only garnered him recognition but also stamped his name in chess history.
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Despite his tender age, Ashwath exhibited remarkable composure and strategic acumen as he outplayed Stopa, who surpasses him in age by nearly fivefold at 37 years old. This achievement closely follows another historic event, with Serbia’s Leonid Ivanovic having recently made headlines by beating 60-year-old Bulgarian grandmaster Milko Popchev. With a commendable world ranking of 37,338 on FIDE, Ashwath voiced his pride in his performance, particularly highlighting his capacity to stage a comeback from unfavorable positions. He attributed his success to his supportive family, his unwavering dedication to the game, the flexibility provided by his schooling, and his inborn talent.
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Kevin Goh, a Singaporean grandmaster and CEO of the Singapore Chess Federation, lauded Ashwath’s triumph as proof of his immense potential. Goh stressed the significance of nurturing young chess talents and expressed optimism that Ashwath’s victory would serve as inspiration for more children to take up competitive play. Ashwath’s father, Sriram Kaushik, beamed with pride in his son’s remarkable accomplishment, appreciating the pivotal role played by dedicated coaches and supporters in Ashwath’s chess journey. He underscored the importance of puzzle-solving in honing Ashwath’s skills on the chessboard.
According to Chess.com, the eight-year-old spends up to seven hours daily playing chess, immersing himself in solving thousands of puzzles using his trusted chess program. His father revealed that his son possesses a photographic memory, citing his recent completion of GM Jacob Aagaard’s entire Grandmaster series solely through mental visualization, without the aid of any physical board. Furthermore, Ashwath has set ambitious goals for himself, aiming to enhance his ratings and achieve the title of candidate master in chess. Additionally, he also harbors aspirations of excelling in FIDE’s World Cup for youngsters later this year, underscoring his ambition and determination to further solidify his presence in the realm of chess.
