Meet American Teen Abhimanyu Mishra Who Stunned World Champion D Gukesh After Picking Up Chess to Escape Screen Time

At just 16 years old, American Grandmaster Abhimanyu Mishra delivered one of the most stunning performances of the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss, toppling reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in a breathtaking Round 5 clash. His victory, accomplished in a classical match spanning 61 moves, made him the youngest player ever to defeat an incumbent world champion—a record that had stood for more than three decades.

Mishra, born on 5 February 2009 in Long Branch, New Jersey, first burst onto the chess scene by earning the grandmaster title in 2021 at just 12 years, four months, and 25 days—becoming the youngest ever to do so. Introduced to the game by his father at just two and a half years old, Mishra has since risen through the ranks with relentless discipline.

On 8 September 2025, Mishra faced Gukesh in the fifth round of the tournament in Samarkand. In a masterclass of strategic precision, he emerged victorious in a grueling 61-move battle. The triumph stunned the chess world, surpassing the previous record of youngest player to beat a reigning champion, held since the early 1990s. It also underscored Mishra’s rapid ascent from prodigious talent to genuine contender on the global stage.