Arjun Vishnuvardhan

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Arjun Vishnuvardhan (full name Chirukandath Manoj Arjun Vishnuvardhan, born August 21, 1990) is a 17 year old Indian chess prodigy who is a young International Master in the United States of America. At his 15 years of age, in May 2006, this chess wizard became the National Game-60 Chess Champion of the entire United States, by beating the top International Master Edward Formanek who is a professor of Mathematics in the Pennsylvania University of USA. This phenomenal victory over the top IM, made Arjun to become the youngest National Game 60 Champion of the United States. At the age of 16 years and 11 months, Arjun became the youngest ever Keralite to become an International Master.

Arjun was born in Kerala, a state of India, started playing chess when he was 8 years old. He was the State Champion for Under-18 years and Under-9 years age group when he was below 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 the year 2001, he won the British Junior Under-11 Championship held at Scarborough, UK. And the next year, Arjun won the Under-16 Youth Championship from Middle East. When he was 11-years and few months old, he again made the history in chess by defeating Grandmaster Iuldachev Saidali of Uzbekistan in a simultaneous chess competition held in UAE to become the youngest ever chess player of India to defeat a Grandmaster in a simul chess competition outside of India.

After a break of one year from chess, this chess wizard came back to the International chess circuit in the year 2004 with tremendous form. He tied for the North American & Caribbean Youth Championship title in the same year. In the year 2005, he became the Youth Chess Champion and the triple gold winner in the Biel Chess Festival, held at Switzerland. Few months later, he won another Youth title from Spain. In the year 2005 to 2007, he drew and defeated lot of International Masters and Grandmasters in various blitz, rapid and regular chess championships held at USA, Switzerland, Spain and other parts of the world. He has an International Fide elo of 2394 as per world chess federation's rating list of 1st October 2007. He won 18 International chess medals at the age of 16 years.

Arjun's younger brother, 15 year old Gauri Shankar, is another young Indian chess prodigy who 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.

[edit] 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, Scarbrough,UK.

5. Middle East under-16 junior chess champion 2002,UAE.

6. North American Youth co-champion,USA, 2004

7. Runner-up in the US Junior Open, USA 2005.

8. Winner of Cajun and Space Coast open under-2400 section, Florida, USA.

9. Triple Crown winner in the Biel International chess festival held at 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. 2006 National Game 60 Chess Champion of the United States.

13. He holds the record of being the youngest National G/60 chess champion of USA, by beating the International Master Edward Formanek,2006.

14. He won the runner up title and won his first IM Norm in the First Saturday IM Tournament May 2007, from Hungary.

15. Arjun tied for the runner up title in the World Open, June 2007, and won his Second IM Norm in the USA.

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. He is the holder of 18 International chess medals at the age of 16 years.

19. He recently defeated the famous Grandmasters Dusan Popovich (Serbia),Silvino Garcia (Cuba), Antic Dejan (Serbia), Iuldachev Saidali (Uzbekistan) Julio Becerra (USA), and drew with Grandmasters Dimitry Gurevich (USA), Anatoly Lein (USA), Vitali Golod (Israel), Mikhail Ulibin (Russia), Kostic Vladimir (Serbia), Ciric Dragoljub (Yugoslavia) and Ivan Nemet (Switzerland) in the various International blitz, rapid and regular chess tournaments, which is really an unusual achievement among junior chess players.