In a world where experience is often said to take the lead, young prodigies are proving it wrong. An 8-year-old boy defeated a grandmaster in classical chess he is the youngest ever to achieve this feat! This victory over GM Jacek Stopa from Poland marked a significant highlight of the Burgdorfer Stadthaus Open in Switzerland. Tina Popli writes about Ashwath’s remarkable feat and his journey so far. | Photo: David Llada
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Text: Junior Tay and GM Kevin Goh
Pictures (if not otherwise indicated): Junior Tay and GM Kevin Goh
Internet chess events have truly taken off in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and even though the virus is somewhat (knock on wood) under control here, the Singapore government has been cautiously and gradually removing the different anti-Covid measures. While we look forward to the lifting of all these safe-distancing measures, #ChessAgainstCovid (“CAC”), which raised nearly US$120,000 for Lakeside Family Service’s “Caring Amidst Covid-19 fund), has initiated plans to launch a brand-new chess club at the grassroots level. After a couple of months of planning and reconnaissance, Grandmaster Kevin Goh and his team decided on Yuhua Community Centre, located in the West of Singapore due to its proximity to where many of the CAC members spent most of their childhood growing up.