Young Chess Prodigies Face Tough Competition and Missed Records
The world of elite chess is a high-stakes arena where young talents are constantly under scrutiny, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. This year has presented significant challenges for some of the game’s brightest stars, with mixed fortunes in recent tournaments.
Gukesh’s Challenging Year on the Grand Circuit
India’s Gukesh Dommaraju, already a celebrated figure as the youngest ever World Champion, has experienced a rather difficult run of form in 2024. His performance at the prestigious Wijk aan Zee tournament yielded a modest 50% score, a result that clearly didn’t reflect his immense potential. More recently, in Prague, Gukesh found himself at the bottom of the standings, finishing joint last with a score of 3.5 out of 9. His sole victory in the Czech capital came in the final round, a hard-fought win that offered a glimmer of his usual brilliance.
The Prague tournament itself was ultimately won by Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan. Abdusattorov continued his impressive winning streak, building on successes at the London Classic and Wijk aan Zee, to secure first place with a commanding 6 out of 9 points.
The tournament in Prague did, however, showcase some exceptional chess. The “game of the event” was a thrilling victory by the local Czech hero, David Navara. This encounter was a true spectacle, featuring daring queen and rook sacrifices, and a dramatic pawn promotion. The defeated opponent was so captivated by Navara’s creative play that he allowed the game to continue until a definitive checkmate.
The final standings in Prague were as follows:
- 1st: Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) – 6 points
- 2nd (tied): Parham Maghsoodloo (Iran), Chithambaram Aravindh (India), Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) – 5 points
- 3rd (tied): David Navara (Czech Republic), Nodirbek Yakubboev (Uzbekistan) – 4.5 points
- 4th (tied): Vincent Keymer (Germany), Hans Niemann (USA) – 4 points
- 5th (tied): David Anton (Spain), Gukesh Dommaraju (India) – 3.5 points
Faustino Oro’s Quest for Grandmaster Title Falls Short in Moscow
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Faustino Oro, often dubbed Argentina’s “chess Messi,” was competing at the formidable Aeroflot Open in Moscow. His primary objective was to secure his third and final Grandmaster (GM) norm, a feat that would officially grant him the GM title and etch his name in the record books as the youngest ever to achieve it. This coveted title has previously been claimed by chess legends such as Sergey Karjakin, Judit Polgar, and Bobby Fischer. Oro’s family has made significant sacrifices, including relocating from Buenos Aires to Spain, to support his burgeoning chess career. He already holds the distinction of being the youngest player ever to achieve a 2500 rating.
The Aeroflot Open is a cornerstone of the global chess calendar. This elite event, spanning six days and nine rounds, attracted a strong field of 51 Grandmasters and 58 International Masters. The tournament boasted a substantial prize fund of 18 million roubles (approximately £171,000) and was held at the luxurious Carlton Hotel in the heart of Moscow.
The tournament’s demanding schedule, with nine rounds packed into six days, utilised a time control of 60 minutes for all moves, plus a 30-second increment per move from the first move. This format could serve as an interesting model for chess tournaments in other regions looking to manage costs effectively.
The 2026 edition of the Aeroflot Open concluded on Thursday, with double World Championship challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi emerging victorious. He achieved an unbeaten score of 7.5 out of 9, winning the tournament by a full point. A cluster of fifteen players tied for second place with 6.5 points. Among this group were notable names such as Andrey Esipenko, who is a contender in the upcoming World Championship match, and Aleksey Grebnev, the player who ultimately defeated Oro.
Oro’s previous GM norms were achieved in Madrid and Buenos Aires. The Aeroflot Open represented his final opportunity to break the world age record for becoming a Grandmaster, a record currently held by Abhimanyu Mishra of the USA since 2021.
Tragically, Oro narrowly missed out on this historic achievement. He finished half a point shy of the required score, accumulating 5.5 out of 9 points when 6 points were needed. His rating performance was 2597, just below the GM minimum of 2600.
At one critical juncture, Oro found himself on 3.5 out of 6 points, requiring three wins, two of which would have to be with the less advantageous black pieces. He managed to reach 5.5 out of 8, securing a fine strategic victory in the eighth round. His play in that game has been described as a “grinding style masterpiece,” reminiscent of his idol, Magnus Carlsen. However, his final opponent, Aleksey Grebnev, rated 2621 and a former World Under-18 Champion, proved to be an insurmountable obstacle. Grebnev had also reached the fifth round of the 2025 World Cup.
The early stages of their decisive game were characterised by caution, with all pieces remaining on the board until move 24. While Oro was observed drinking his preferred apple juice and probing Grebnev’s defences, a miscalculation by Grebnev on move 32 presented Oro with an opportunity. Unfortunately, Oro was unable to capitalise on this mistake, and eventually found himself in a losing position, resigning on move 44 to avoid immediate checkmate or the loss of his queen.
Mishra’s Record Stands as Oro Falls Short
Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Abhimanyu Mishra, the current record holder for the youngest Grandmaster at 12 years old, faced off against the reigning US Champion and current World No. 3, Fabiano Caruana, in the quarter-finals of the American Cup knockout tournament. Mishra lost the match 0.5-1.5 but did have a brief, albeit difficult, winning chance on move 18 in their second game.
It’s worth noting that when Mishra first set the youngest GM record, his achievement faced some criticism due to all three of his qualifying norms being obtained in Budapest, a location sometimes referred to as a “norm factory.” However, Mishra has since proven his calibre with an outstanding performance at the FIDE Grand Swiss last year, where he came close to qualifying for the Candidates Tournament.
The current situation means that with Faustino Oro now out of contention and no other young talents of similar calibre emerging, Abhimanyu Mishra’s world age record for becoming a Grandmaster is likely to remain unchallenged for many years to come.
A Hypothetical Endgame Scenario:
Consider this sequence from a chess game:
- Rh8+ Kg5
- Re5+! f5
(If 2…fxe5? then 3 Bd8+ Re7 4 Bxe7 mate) - Bd8+ Kg6
- Bxh4
In this variation, White wins with an extra rook.
