At just three years, eight months and 19 days, Anish Sarkar of Kaikhali, North Kolkata became the youngest ranked chess player in history. Born on January 26, 2021, Anish started his chess journey only a year ago, yet his progress in the game has been rapid and impressive.
Anish made his competitive debut in October at the West Bengal State Under-9 Open where he scored 5.5 points from eight rounds, beating two ranked players to finish 24th overall. He then participated in the State Under-13 Open where he faced older, more experienced players. This tournament met the FIDE requirement to play five rated opponents, earning it an initial FIDE rating of 1555.
Under the tutelage of his coach Dibyendu Baruy – India’s second Grand Master (GM) – Anish showed extraordinary focus and determination. Barua, who trains him at the Dhanuka Dhunseri Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy, sees immense potential in him. “Anish definitely has potential but he still has a long way to go,” said Barua, who notes the young prodigy’s remarkable drive and focus.
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Anish’s journey is all the more inspiring given his background. His parents, from a lower middle class family, had no prior knowledge of chess. His mother recalled how he first showed interest by watching chess videos on YouTube and got them to buy him his first board. Since then, Anish has committed to training up to eight hours a day, which shows a unique level of focus for someone so young. He even plays sitting on a stack of chairs to reach the plate and has already faced India’s highest-ranked GM Arjun Erigaisi in simultaneous exhibition matches.
Anish is inspired by world champion Magnus Carlsen and likes to watch GothamChess videos on YouTube to learn more. His formation comes at a time when the Indian chess scene is flourishing with young talents like R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh contributing to the country’s bright future in the sport.
In the future, Anish plans to attend the Tata Steel Kolkata Chess tournament where he will have the opportunity to meet his hero Carlsen in person.
