Indian child prodigy is world’s second youngest grandmaster

By Errol Tiwari On In Chess with Errol |
Ever since he became the youngest International Master in May 2016, India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa’s quest was directed at becoming the youngest chess Grandmaster. However, he did not meet the deadline. Today, he has earned the distinction of becoming the second youngest Grandmaster. In the photo Praggnanandhaa (right) plays 20 opponents at the Hogeschool Zeeland chess tournament in Vlissingen, Netherlands, in a clock-simultaneous encounter. He won 20-0.
Ever since he became the youngest International Master in May 2016, India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa’s quest was directed at becoming the youngest chess Grandmaster. However, he did not meet the deadline. Today, he has earned the distinction of becoming the second youngest Grandmaster. In the photo Praggnanandhaa (right) plays 20 opponents at the Hogeschool Zeeland chess tournament in Vlissingen, Netherlands, in a clock-simultaneous encounter. He won 20-0.

India’s child chess player, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, became the world’s second youngest Grandmaster in the history of the ancient game at the age of 12 years, 10 months and 14 days on June 24, in Italy.

The record for the youngest Grandmaster is held by Russia’s Sergey Karjakin who attained it at 12 years, 7 months, 0 days. Chess is one of three disciplines in which child prodigies exist; the other two are mathematics and music. It is felt that human acumen can be measured through chess, mathematics and music.

The Grandmaster title in chess is the highest achievement which is attainable in the game. There are approximately 1,600 Grandmasters worldwide, but only Jamaica is credited with having one within the English-speaking Caribbean. Cuba has 23 grandmasters – five women and 18 men. One of them—Leinier Dominguez Perez—was ranked at Number 20 worldwide last year.