Ashwath Kaushik from Singapore just became the youngest person to ever defeat a grandmaster in Chess.
At 8 years, 6 months, and 11 days Ashwath is 4-months younger than the previous record-holder.
Check out this interview with the kid. He's such a cute little genius.
He accomplished his goal. What a boss.
CNN describes his parents seeing the "inevitability" of their son spending more time than they did growing up looking at screens, and explained they tried to get out ahead of the habit by introducing the boy to the ancient board game through ChessKid.com.
Then as the pandemic arrived and Singaporean authorities instituted strict lockdowns, Kaushik had all the time in the world to practice.
So, I guess he started playing at around 4 years old. Which is impressive since when I was 4 I'm pretty sure my parents weren't teaching me chess so much as they were telling me to stop sticking the pawns up my nose.
And then by 8 I would still be getting my butt kicked at checkers.
But not this kid. He's a stinking genius.
Born in India, Ashwath has been living with his family in Singapore for 6 years. In the Bergdorfer Open, he finished in 12th place after beating Stopa, and losing to International Master Harry Grieve. He is set to pick up 84 rating points, settling him at 1894 — extremely close to the highest rating of any player under 8.
His parents aren't pushing him, they merely allow him the time and space to pursue chess as far as he wishes. He currently enjoys the personal coaching of Chess GM Kevin Goh Wei Ming, CEO of the Singapore Chess Foundation, and recently completed GM Jacob Aagaard's entire Grandmaster series without using a board, something which Ashwath's father attributes to his "photographic memory."
This kid is awesome.
It blows my mind!
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