Abhimanyu Mishra: Youngest Grandmaster Who Defeated World Champion Gukesh

Abhimanyu Mishra, a 16-year-old chess prodigy from the United States, has taken the global chess community by storm. Already celebrated as the youngest Grandmaster in history, he recently etched his name in the record books again by defeating reigning World Champion D Gukesh at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025. This victory not only showcases his immense talent but also highlights his extraordinary journey, marked by early achievements and relentless dedication.

Abhimanyu Mishra Defeats Gukesh

• On September 8, 2025, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Abhimanyu defeated 19-year-old World Champion D Gukesh in Round 5 of the Grand Swiss.
• The match lasted 61 moves, with Mishra exploiting a blunder by Gukesh on the 12th move.
• With this, Mishra became the youngest ever to beat a reigning world champion in classical chess.
• He broke Gata Kamsky’s 33-year-old record, who defeated Garry Kasparov at 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.

Personal Background

• Date of Birth: 5 February 2009.
• Place: New Jersey, USA.
• Parents: Hemant Mishra (originally from Bhopal, India, MTech from MANIT-Bhopal) and Swati Mishra (from Agra).
• Sibling: Sister named Ridhima.

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.