After staging the highly successful man-vs-machine match Garry Kasparov vs X3D Fritz, the ever enterprising Armand Rousso launched a search engine, intended to challenge the supremacy of Google. The launch of "Accoona" in New York in 2004 had a glittering array of special guests (Kasparov, Bill Clinton). The next year Armand did a second publicity event, this time pitting the latest version of Fritz against the newly crowned FIDE World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov.
There were GM level teenagers before 1950, but the world body Fide only issued its first list in that year. Then David Bronstein was the youngest at 26, followed by Tigran Petrosian at 23 in 1952, Boris Spassky at 18 in 1955, and Bobby Fischer at 15 in 1958. The last three all became world champions. Fischer held the record for over 30 years before the all-time No 1 woman, Judit Polgar, broke it in 1991, after which it was gradually lowered until Karjakin set his target in 2002.
Since then, Karjakin’s mark has narrowly survived serious attempts by India’s current generation of talents, but Mishra’s chances are very bright. He has until 5 September to score his third GM norm and add around another 24 rating points, and was in action again in a new tournament which started on Friday. Mishra won his first round game on Friday afternoon. He will probably need a 7/9 total for his third and final GM norm.