In a landmark moment in chess history, American Grandmaster Abhimanyu Mishra, aged 16, stunned world champion D Gukesh Dommaraju at the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss tournament held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The intense, nearly six-hour battle spanned 61 moves, culminating in Mishra becoming the youngest player ever to defeat a reigning world champion in classical chess.
Mishra, already the youngest grandmaster at 12 years and four months, admitted to feeling the weight of the match, saying despite his victory it was “not a very clean game.” Gukesh’s risky decision to push his g-pawn at move 12, instead of a safer h-pawn, surprised experts including chess legend Judit Polgar and was a critical turning point that swung the momentum in Mishra’s favour.
Turning Points and Tactical Brilliance
The game unfolded starting with the King’s Pawn opening into the Italian Game’s Giuoco Pianissimo variation. Gukesh’s early 12…g4 push came after 21 minutes of thought and astonished spectators. Mishra explained that his own 12.dxe5, a piece sacrifice, was a calculated risk, emphasizing that he trusted his instincts regardless of playing the world champion.
Though Mishra acknowledged moments of frustration when he felt his advantage slipping, his precise rook play and relentless advance of a g-pawn maintained pressure. Eventually, Gukesh, four pawns down and facing constant threat from Mishra’s g-pawn, resigned on move 61. The high stakes drew the attention of 16 grandmasters who paused their own games to witness this clash of rising chess icons.
Rising Stars and Shifting Chess Landscape
Mishra’s victory adds a new chapter to his rapidly ascending career. Starting as a chess prodigy under the guidance of grandmasters Arun Prasad Subramanian and Magesh Chandran, he has consistently set records, including becoming the youngest to earn a grandmaster title, a record previously held by Sergey Karjakin and later challenged by others.
Against Gukesh, the youngest world champion at 18 last year, Mishra showed not just talent but strategic maturity. Post-match, Mishra reflected on the tournament, expressing rising confidence in his ability to compete with the absolute elite. Veteran grandmasters like Viswanathan Anand praised both players, highlighting the vibrant competition among young chess prodigies reshaping the global chess scene.
Abhimanyu Mishra’s early exposure to chess began at just 2.5 years old, inspired and nurtured by his family’s support and expert coaching from Grandmasters Arun Prasad Subramanian and Magesh Chandran.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This defining encounter exemplifies the essence of competitive spirit, courage, humility, and respect between adversaries striving for excellence. Beyond the trophies and titles, it showcases how youth leadership and new talent can challenge established norms while fostering empathy and mutual respect. Mishra’s triumph is a call to nurture positive environments where emerging voices can flourish through dialogue, support, and kindness in all fields.
All eyes on Abhimanyu Mishra! 👀
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) September 8, 2025
The youngster surprisingly took down the World Champion Gukesh D in Round 5 of the #FIDEGrandSwiss pic.twitter.com/CoSzKG2JoA
Grandmaster Abhimanyu @ChessMishra is elated as he defeats World Champion Gukesh, and is congratulated by his father as he comes out of the playing hall!
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) September 8, 2025
Video: @adityasurroy21 pic.twitter.com/TDG8mbwed6
