9-yr-old Bangladeshi chess prodigy Mugdha defeats 5-time world champion Magnus Carlsen
He managed to achieve what many professional players can only dream of—defeating one of the greatest chess players of all time.
Ryan Rashid Mugdha, a nine-year-old chess prodigy from Bangladesh, has achieved the unimaginable by defeating five-time world champion and Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen in an online chess match.
This extraordinary accomplishment has taken the chess world by storm and brought immense pride to Bangladesh.
The sensational match took place on 18 january on Chess.com, the largest online chess platform. Mugdha, a third-grader at South Point School in Dhaka, played using the account of his coach, Naim Haque, as he does not yet have his own profile or official chess title.
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Despite this, Mugdha managed to achieve what many professional players can only dream of—defeating one of the greatest chess players of all time.
The game was played in the "bullet" format, a rapid chess variation where players have only one minute to finish their moves. This format is popular among FIDE Masters, International Masters, and Grandmasters. Through the platform's random pairing system, Mugdha was unexpectedly matched with Carlsen, creating an opportunity for the young talent to showcase his skills. Due to an accidental mouse click, Carlsen made the queen move to the wrong square, which created an opportunity for Mugdha to win.
Recalling the moment, Mugdha's coach Naim said, "I teach Mugdha chess, and he always loves to play online. I let him use my ID, and later, he suddenly called me, saying he had beaten Carlsen. At first, I couldn't believe it. Then he sent me screenshots and all the game details, and I was amazed."
This achievement is the latest in Mugdha's growing list of accomplishments. He is the reigning Under-10 Junior Champion in Bangladesh and represented the country in the Asian School Chess Championship held in Bangkok last December.
His win against Carlsen has further established him as one of the brightest young talents in the chess world.
Mugdha's father, Mahbubur Rashid, and his coach expressed immense pride in his success, calling it a moment of inspiration for Bangladesh. At just nine years old, Mugdha has proven that age is no barrier to greatness, and his journey in chess is only just beginning.
