Ashwath Kaushik, a young talent of Indian descent hailing from Singapore, made headlines as the youngest chess player to defeat grandmaster Jacek Stopa of Poland during the 22nd Burgdorfer Stadthaus Open held in Switzerland. At just eight years old, Kaushik’s achievement adds him to the esteemed list of youthful prodigies who have triumphed over grandmasters before reaching the age of ten.
His victory against the 37-year-old Stopa marked Kaushik’s fourth win in the tournament, where he defied expectations by securing a commendable 12th place finish. Initially seeded 59th among the 127 competitors, Kaushik’s impressive performance garnered attention despite the odds. However, he faced a setback in his final match against international master Harry Grieve. The ultimate triumph of the tournament went to Russian grandmaster Vitaly Kunin.
Reflecting on his performance, Kaushik, ranked 37,338 by the FIDE International Chess Federation, expressed his exhilaration, recounting the excitement of his gameplay and the pride he felt in overcoming challenges during the matches. His father, Sriram Kaushik, shared his pride in his son’s accomplishments, noting Ashwath’s exceptional ability to solve intricate puzzles visually and his recent completion of GM Jacob Aagaard’s Grandmaster series without the aid of a chessboard.
Kaushik’s prowess in chess was evident early on when, at the age of six, he clinched triple gold in the Under-8 category of the Eastern Asian Youth Championship in 2022. Guided by esteemed coaches like grandmaster Kevin Goh Wei Ming, CEO of the Singapore Chess Federation, Kaushik continues to hone his skills. Presently a member of the Under-14 squad, he receives training from grandmasters Thomas Luther and Andrey Kvon, as highlighted by Wei Ming, who marvels at Kaushik’s achievements, questioning if his latest feat sets a new record at the tender age of 8 years, 6 months, and 11 days.
