Meet India’s 3-year-old boy, who created a massive record, became youngest rated chess player in..., he is from...

While most children of his age are absorbed in cartoons like Peppa Pig or Chhota Bheem, or simply playing with toys, young Anish Sarkar found his fascination in the quiet strategy of chess pieces, sparking a journey few could fathom. The kid from Kaikhali in north Kolkata became the youngest FIDE rated chess player in history at age 3 in November last year. He was also fortunate to get an opportunity to play against India No. 1 and World No. 4 Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi in a simultaneous exhibition match during the Bengal Rapid Rating Open. 

Just a week later, Anish tested his skills again in the West Bengal state Under-13 Open, where he faced older, experienced players. Though the event was challenging, it became a vital step in his journey, meeting the requirement of facing five rated players, ultimately earning him an initial FIDE rating of 1555, which was updated. In doing so, he surpassed the previous record set by Tejas Tiwari, who had become the youngest FIDE-rated player at five years, India’s second GM and his coach Dibyendu Barua said. 

“He reminds me of Mitrabha Guha (who became GM at 20 years). Anish definitely has potential but he has a long, long way to go,” Barua, the director of Dhanuka Dhunseri Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy, told PTI. “We’ve put him in a special group, where he trains for seven to eight hours,” said Barua. 

In most videos of Anish at chess tournaments, he is seen sitting on a stack of chairs just to reach the chessboard, making it an endearing sight. In one video, Anish plays against three GMs, including Barua and Surya Sekhar Ganguly, while balancing on the chairs as his coach Barua, playfully pinches his cheek. 

Who is Anish Sarkar? 

Born on January 26, 2021, Anish made his debut in competitive chess with the West Bengal state Under-9 Open in October, securing an impressive 5.5 out of 8 points and finishing 24th overall defeating two rated players -- Arav Chatterjee and Ahilaan Baishya.ChessBase India has even documented his remarkable journey. The young genius started to play tournaments as he showed a remarkable feat by scoring an impressive 5/11 in a rapid event. At the same event, he also got a rare opportunity to compete against India's current number-one, GM Arjun Erigaisi, in a 15-board simul.