At the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, 16-year-old American prodigy Abhimanyu Mishra defeated reigning World Champion D. Gukesh, a victory that sent shockwaves through the chess world. The win marks a historic moment for the young grandmaster, who became the youngest player to defeat a reigning world champion in classical chess, breaking a 33-year-old record held by Gata Kamsky.
The game, which lasted 61 moves, began with a King’s Pawn opening that led to a Giuoco Pianissimo. Mishra, playing with the white pieces, executed a well-calculated strategy that put Gukesh on the defensive. A crucial moment came early in the game when Mishra made a bold piece sacrifice, which he said he decided to play "whether it's Gukesh, the world champion, or anybody else."
Mishra believes this victory, combined with a draw against top seed R. Praggnanandhaa in the previous round, proves that he is on par with the world's best. "Going into this game, I didn’t think I was such a huge underdog," Mishra said in a post-match interview. "But I feel like if I can control my nerves, I am at par with the world’s best. That’s what happened today."
This defeat is arguably the most significant blow to Gukesh’s reign since he became the youngest-ever world chess champion at the age of 18 last year. Despite the victory, Mishra expressed a desire for better play. "Even though I won, it doesn’t feel as pleasing as my previous games in the tournament. It wasn’t a very clean game." However, he expressed confidence in his performance. "I never felt like I was inferior to these players (Gukesh and Pragg). I think I am at par with them."
The win has given Mishra's title-clinching hopes a major boost. He is now tied for second in the tournament standings, just half a point behind the sole leader, Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran. Mishra's next opponent will be Germany's Matthias Bluebaum, who also caused a major upset by defeating Praggnanandhaa in the same round. The tournament continues to be a high-stakes affair, with the young grandmasters vying for a spot in the prestigious 2026 Candidates Tournament.
