India’s Sarvagya Singh Becomes World’s Youngest FIDE-Rated Chess Player at 3 Years

Three-Year-Old Creates History With Official FIDE Rating

India’s Sarvagya Singh Kushwaha, just 3 years, 7 months, and 20 days old, has created history by becoming the youngest FIDE-rated chess player in the world. The child prodigy from the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh earned his official rating at an age when most children barely recognize the chessboard.

He broke the previous record set last year by Kolkata’s Anish Sarkar, who achieved his rating at 3 years, 8 months, and 19 days.

Sarvagya, currently studying in nursery, has shown exceptional understanding of chess far beyond his age. He has achieved a rapid rating of 1572—an extraordinary feat for a three-year-old.

Extraordinary Memory and Quick Learning Sparked His Chess Journey

According to his father, Siddharth Singh, Sarvagya possessed an unusual memory and learning ability. Recognizing this, he introduced his son to chess last year. Astonishingly, within just one week, Sarvagya learned the names of all the pieces and their movements with perfect accuracy.

His focus and patience—skills rare at his age—set him apart from other children.

Four to Five Hours of Daily Training

Sarvagya practices chess for 4–5 hours every day. He spends an hour at a local training center and learns advanced techniques through online videos. Remarkably, he can wake up in the middle of the night and still play for hours without getting tired.

Toffees and Chips for Every Correct Move

Coach Nitin Chaurasia explains that training Sarvagya was challenging in the beginning since he would cry even at light scolding. To motivate him, the coach adopted a fun method—rewarding him with toffees or chips for every correct move.

His unique way of hitting the clock after a move shows that he never wants to give his opponent any comfort during the game.

Defeated Three Rated Players to Earn His FIDE Rating

As per FIDE rules, a player must defeat at least one internationally rated opponent to secure an initial rating. Sarvagya exceeded expectations by defeating three rated players, establishing a remarkable record.

Players He Defeated

• Mangaluru: Beat 22-year-old Abhijit Awasthi (Rating 1542) at the 24th RCC International Rapid Cup
• Khandwa: Defeated 29-year-old Shubham Chaurasia (Rating 1559) at the Dhooniwale Open
• Indore: Won against 20-year-old Yogesh Namdev (Rating 1696) at the Dr. Ajit Kasliwal Memorial Open Rapid
• Chhindwara: Again defeated Abhijit Awasthi at the GH Raisoni Memorial
  

Anand, Carlsen, and Gukesh Had Not Started Playing at This Age

What makes the achievement even more astonishing is that legendary chess players had not even begun playing at Sarvagya’s age.

• Magnus Carlsen started playing at 5 years
  
• Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion, began at 6 years
  
• World Champion D. Gukesh started at 7 years
  

Sarvagya’s historic feat places him far ahead of some of the greatest chess minds in the world in terms of early progress.