A three-year-old boy from Kolkata made history by becoming the youngest-rated chess player in history during a period when children are typically interested in toys and playing. Anish Sarkar, a Kolkata native, made his competitive chess debut in the West Bengal State Under-9 Open, where he defeated two highly regarded players and finished 24th with a score of 5.5 out of 8. He also participated in the West Bengal State Under-13 Open a week later, where he achieved the first FIDE rating of 1555, breaking the previous record of the youngest FIDE-rated player, Tejas Tiwari.
Sarkar’s accomplishments and remarkable talent at such a young age have received a lot of attention and admiration online, but Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra has also responded with warmth. Mahindra, a passionate chess fan himself, shared a video of the young player and remarked, “Anish Sarkar. three years and eight months old. The youngest player ever rated by FIDE. A rating of 1555. I believe I play at a level of 1500 at the age of 69. While I can still stay up for a few moves, I’d better play him! Indian Chess.”
