Arjun Vishnuvardhan
Encyclopedia
Arjun Vishnuvardhan is an Indian chess
prodigy who is a young International Master in the United States of America. At his 15 years of age, in May 2006, he became the National Game-60 Chess Champion of the entire United States, by beating the top International Master Edward Formanek, a professor of mathematics in Pennsylvania University
. This phenomenal victory over the top International Master made Arjun to become the youngest National Game 60 Champion of the United States
. One month before his 17th birthday, Arjun became the youngest ever Keralite to become an International Master.
Arjun was born in Kerala
, India
and started playing chess when he was 8 years old. He was the State Champion for Under-18 years and Under-9 years. He posted the National record in India in the year of 2000, by becoming the youngest International FIDE rated player of the country.
In 2001, he won the British Junior Under-11 Championship held at Scarborough, United Kingdom
. In 2002, Arjun won the Under-16 Youth Championship from Middle East. When he was 11, he again made the history in chess by defeating a Grandmaster, Iuldachev Saidali of Uzbekistan
in a simultaneous chess competition held in the United Arab Emirates
to become the youngest ever chess player of India to defeat a Grandmaster in a simul chess competition outside India
.
After a break of one year from chess, he successfully came back to the International chess circuit in 2004. He tied for the North American & Caribbean Youth Championship title in the same year. In 2005, he became the Youth Chess Champion and the triple gold winner in the Biel Chess Festival, held at Switzerland
. A few months later, he won another Youth title from Spain
. From 2005 to 2007, he drew and defeated many International Masters and Grandmasters in various blitz, rapid and regular chess championships held in the United States
, Switzerland
, Spain
, and elsewhere. He has an International Fide elo of 2394 on the 1 October 2007 World Chess Federation's rating list. He won 18 International chess medals at 16.
Arjun's younger brother, 15-year-old Gauri Shankar
, is another young Indian chess prodigy and holds the record for being the youngest Indian to win more number of International chess medals for the country. Gauri has won 27 International chess medals at the age of 14 years.
Arjun has developed an extraordinary talent to play simultaneous blindfold chess
, since his 11 years of age.
2. Youngest ever Keralite to become an International Master.
3. Youngest Indian to get the International rating at the age of 9.
4. British Junior chess champion 2001, Scarborough, United Kingdom
.
5. Middle East under-16 Junior chess champion 2002, United Arab Emirates
.
6. North American Youth co-champion, United States
, 2004.
7. Runner-up in the US Junior Open, United States
, 2005.
8. Winner of Cajun and Space Coast open under-2400 section, Florida
, United States
.
9. Triple Crown winner in the Biel International chess festival, Switzerland
, 2005.
10. He won the under-16 title in the 2300 rating section in the International Chess Championship, Spain
, 2005.
11. Runner-up in the Chicago International Open (Expert Section), 2006.
12. National Game 60 Chess Champion of the United States
, 2006.
13. Held the record of being the youngest National G/60 chess champion of USA, by beating the International Master Edward Formanek, 2006.
14. Won the runner-up title and his first IM Norm in the First Saturday IM Tournament, May 2007, Hungary
.
15. Arjun tied for the runner up title in the World Open, and won his Second IM Norm, United States
, June 2007.
16. He became the champion in the First Saturday IM A Tournament and won his final IM Norm from Budapest, Hungary in July 2007.
17. Best non-titled player in the Biel chess festival Grand Master Open, Switzerland
, 2007.
18. Holder of 18 International chess medals at the age of 16 years.
19. Defeated the famous Grandmasters Dusan Popovich (Serbia
), Silvino Garcia (Cuba
), Dejan Antic
(Serbia), Saidali Iuldachev
(Uzbekistan
), Julio Becerra
((United States
), and drew with Grandmasters Dmitry Gurevich
(United States
), Anatoly Lein
(United States
), Vitali Golod
(Israel
), Mikhail Ulibin (Russia
), Vladimir Kostic (Serbia), Dragoljub Ciric
(Yugoslavia
) and Ivan Nemet (Switzerland
) in the various International blitz, rapid and regular chess tournaments, unusual achievement among junior chess players.
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
prodigy who is a young International Master in the United States of America. At his 15 years of age, in May 2006, he became the National Game-60 Chess Champion of the entire United States, by beating the top International Master Edward Formanek, a professor of mathematics in Pennsylvania University
Pennsylvania University
Pennsylvania University may refer to one of two unrelated universities:* University of Pennsylvania, a private university* Pennsylvania State University, a state-related university...
. This phenomenal victory over the top International Master made Arjun to become the youngest National Game 60 Champion of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. One month before his 17th birthday, Arjun became the youngest ever Keralite to become an International Master.
Arjun was born in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and started playing chess when he was 8 years old. He was the State Champion for Under-18 years and Under-9 years. He posted the National record in India in the year of 2000, by becoming the youngest International FIDE rated player of the country.
In 2001, he won the British Junior Under-11 Championship held at Scarborough, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 2002, Arjun won the Under-16 Youth Championship from Middle East. When he was 11, he again made the history in chess by defeating a Grandmaster, Iuldachev Saidali of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
in a simultaneous chess competition held in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
to become the youngest ever chess player of India to defeat a Grandmaster in a simul chess competition outside India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
After a break of one year from chess, he successfully came back to the International chess circuit in 2004. He tied for the North American & Caribbean Youth Championship title in the same year. In 2005, he became the Youth Chess Champion and the triple gold winner in the Biel Chess Festival, held at Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. A few months later, he won another Youth title from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. From 2005 to 2007, he drew and defeated many International Masters and Grandmasters in various blitz, rapid and regular chess championships held in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and elsewhere. He has an International Fide elo of 2394 on the 1 October 2007 World Chess Federation's rating list. He won 18 International chess medals at 16.
Arjun's younger brother, 15-year-old Gauri Shankar
Gauri Shankar
Gauri Shankar is an Indian chess prodigy who is a FIDE Master.He has won 27 International junior chess medals at the age of 14 and has also drawn and defeated many International Masters and Grandmasters his chess career so far...
, is another young Indian chess prodigy and holds the record for being the youngest Indian to win more number of International chess medals for the country. Gauri has won 27 International chess medals at the age of 14 years.
Arjun has developed an extraordinary talent to play simultaneous blindfold chess
Blindfold chess
Blindfold chess is a form of chess play wherein the players do not see the positions of the pieces or touch them. This forces players to maintain a mental model of the positions of the pieces...
, since his 11 years of age.
Achievements
1. Arjun Became an International Master by his 16 years of age.2. Youngest ever Keralite to become an International Master.
3. Youngest Indian to get the International rating at the age of 9.
4. British Junior chess champion 2001, Scarborough, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
5. Middle East under-16 Junior chess champion 2002, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
.
6. North American Youth co-champion, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 2004.
7. Runner-up in the US Junior Open, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 2005.
8. Winner of Cajun and Space Coast open under-2400 section, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
9. Triple Crown winner in the Biel International chess festival, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, 2005.
10. He won the under-16 title in the 2300 rating section in the International Chess Championship, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 2005.
11. Runner-up in the Chicago International Open (Expert Section), 2006.
12. National Game 60 Chess Champion of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 2006.
13. Held the record of being the youngest National G/60 chess champion of USA, by beating the International Master Edward Formanek, 2006.
14. Won the runner-up title and his first IM Norm in the First Saturday IM Tournament, May 2007, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
15. Arjun tied for the runner up title in the World Open, and won his Second IM Norm, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, June 2007.
16. He became the champion in the First Saturday IM A Tournament and won his final IM Norm from Budapest, Hungary in July 2007.
17. Best non-titled player in the Biel chess festival Grand Master Open, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, 2007.
18. Holder of 18 International chess medals at the age of 16 years.
19. Defeated the famous Grandmasters Dusan Popovich (Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
), Silvino Garcia (Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
), Dejan Antic
Dejan Antic
Dejan Antić is a Serbian grandmaster, who began in 1988 professionally.-External links:*...
(Serbia), Saidali Iuldachev
Saidali Iuldachev
Saidali Iuldachev is an Uzbekistani chess Grandmaster .He won Uzbekistani Chess Championship in 1993 and 2003. In 2004 he tied for 2nd-4th with Praveen Thipsay and Chakkravarthy Deepan in the Piloo Mody International Open in Lucknow and tied for first with Maxim Sorokin in the Murzagaliev Memorial...
(Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
), Julio Becerra
Julio Becerra
Julio Becerra Rivero is an American International Grandmaster of chess, who lives in Miami, FL. He plays for the Miami Sharks in the U.S. Chess League.Defected to the U.S. in 1999 and was MVP in the U.S. Chess League in 2006....
((United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), and drew with Grandmasters Dmitry Gurevich
Dmitry Gurevich
Dmitry Gurevich is a Russian-American chess grandmaster.Gurevich emigrated to New York in 1980 and earned the grandmaster title three years later. Dmitry has won the U.S. Open three times . Also, Gurevich has had especially good results at the National Open in Las Vegas, sharing first place on...
(United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), Anatoly Lein
Anatoly Lein
Anatoly Yakovlevich Lein is a Soviet-born American chess Grandmaster.FIDE awarded him the International Master title in 1964 and the Grandmaster title in 1968.He won the 1971 Moscow championship after a play-off...
(United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), Vitali Golod
Vitali Golod
Vitali Golod is a Soviet–Israeli chess grandmaster.As of April 2007, his Elo rating was 2597, making him the # 7 player in Israel and the 152nd-highest rated player in the world. It is his peak rating so far.-Chess career:...
(Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
), Mikhail Ulibin (Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
), Vladimir Kostic (Serbia), Dragoljub Ciric
Dragoljub Čirić
Dragoljub Miladin Čirić in Novi Sad) is a former Yugoslavian, now Serbian, chess Grandmaster.- Background :Čirić gained the title of International Master in 1961 and became a Grandmaster in 1965....
(Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) and Ivan Nemet (Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) in the various International blitz, rapid and regular chess tournaments, unusual achievement among junior chess players.
External links
- http://www.chessbase.com/columns/column.asp?pid=66
- http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200507252127.htm?headline=Indian~chess~prodigy~wins~triple~crown~in~Biel~Chess
- http://www.fide.com/ratings/card.phtml?event=5013291
- http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1030609&CatID=6
- http://www.iacfpa.org/p_news/nit/iacpa-archieve/2005/11/25/Newsmakers150108.shtml
- http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060719/asp/telekids/story_6321809.asp
- http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003679143
- http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/19/stories/2007071961822200.htm