Abhimanyu Mishra scripted history, but this time as the youngest player to beat a current world champion in classical chess. The 16-year-old US sensation stunned current world champion D Gukesh in Round 5 of the current FIDE Grand Swiss on Monday.
Mishra, who is himself a record holder for the youngest player to defeat a grandmaster, did it again. He was up against Gukesh in an Italian Opening when Mishra surprised the champion after Gukesh took a risky move to advance his g-pawn to g4 on move 12, which shifted the balance of power.
Seeing opportunity, Mishra initiated a bold piece sacrifice in the early middle game, subjecting Gukesh to tremendous pressure. Although the Indian GM displayed grit and was able to hold up in the early stages, the complexities on the board demanded almost faultless play all the way through the endgame.
It was Mishra who at last claimed victory in a tense and high-class struggle that went 61 moves long.
In spite of the historic victory, Mishra kept his feet on the ground, saying he wasn’t completely satisfied with the way he played, talking about his greed to still improve despite making history.
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With this win, Mishra not only shocked the world of chess but also confirmed why he is talked about as one of the brightest young prospects in the world.
