Solely a choose few within the annals of chess historical past have damaged into the world top-five earlier than their twentieth birthday. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov has now joined that prestigious listing, and shares his insights with Chess.com on his rise from prodigy to chess celebrity.

The newest FIDE rankings for April, launched on Sunday, as soon as once more see GM Magnus Carlsen on the high. The Norwegian maestro holds a snug lead of 27 factors over GM Fabiano Caruana, with one other 14-point hole to GM Hikaru Nakamura in third place.

Nonetheless, stealing the highlight is Abdusattorov, who not solely breached the top-10 for the primary time, however takes it one step additional to make the top-five, climbing from eleventh to 4th. Whereas there’s a hole of 24 factors as much as Nakamura, the younger Uzbek is three factors forward of World Champion Ding Liren.

Abdusattorov’s entry into the elite circle follows a 17-point achieve from his glorious 4th place end within the 2024 Tata Metal Chess in January. He then added one other 15 factors by profitable the Prague Masters with a spherical to spare in March.

Analysis carried out by Chess.com reveals the rarity of Abdusattorov’s achievement, attained at a traditionally very early age. In actual fact, solely 5 gamers have beforehand made the top-five earlier than turning 20: GMs Garry Kasparov (1982), Alexei Shirov (1992) and Vladimir Kramnik (1994) achieved the milestone within the 80s and 90s, whereas Carlsen (2010) and GM Alireza Firouzja (2021) spherical out the unique group.

Noteworthy mentions embody Caruana who reached seventh as a 19-year-old, GM Gata Kamsky hit eighth at a mere 16, GM Veselin Topalov eighth at 18, whereas GM Vasyl Ivanchuk was sixth earlier than his twentieth birthday.

Chatting with Chess.com in an unique interview, Abdusattorov responds with a smile when knowledgeable concerning the feat:

“I’m pleasantly stunned to listen to that. I did not know. It is an incredible achievement, however on the similar time, it is a massive accountability for me as it is a completely new degree. I’m actually completely satisfied to be there.”

Abdusattorov calls it an essential step ahead in his profession, and feels that his soar from 2720 and breaking into the top-10 was a “large breakthrough.” Nonetheless, he has all the time remained firmly grounded, acknowledging that he’s simply getting began. Nothing is taken with no consideration:

“I’ll attempt my finest to push much more, however it’ll take a while.”

Abdusattorov Needs To Break Data

Abdusattorov has been consuming such data for breakfast for fairly a while in his brief profession. The spotlight is turning into the youngest-ever world champion by profitable the 2021 World Speedy Championship as a 17-year-old, forward of the complete world elite.

The Uzbek additionally holds the report because the youngest-ever 2400-rated participant, a feat he achieved on the age of simply ten-and-a-half. As an 11-year-old he set a report by turning into the youngest participant to enter the top-100 juniors.

Youngest Gamers To Break 2400

Responding to the query of whether or not he pays consideration to such data, he says with a smile:

“It has been some form of competitors. I’ve all the time wished to interrupt data. It offers me motivation and it is also a really powerful problem. However when you set a objective, you need to inspire your self with a troublesome problem. After I was a child, I set myself a objective to turn out to be the youngest grandmaster on the time. After I grew to become a grandmaster, I set myself a objective to succeed in 2700. Then you definately set new targets each time, and that turns into a motivation.”

It has been some form of competitors. I’ve all the time wished to interrupt data. It offers me motivation and it is also a really powerful problem. 

—Nodirbek Abdusattorov

Abdusattorov On Beating Grandmasters As A 9-Yr-Previous

Abdusattorov’s record-breaking journey began when he grew to become the Below-8 World Youth Champion in 2012. Solely two years later, on the age of 9, he caught the eye of the complete chess world by beating two grandmasters in a single event. 

His win towards 2600-rated GM Andrey Zhigalko at dwelling in Tashkent in 2014, makes him the fifth-youngest participant to defeat a grandmaster in classical chess of all time. Nonetheless, his achievement is maybe essentially the most spectacular of all contemplating his opponent’s power.

“It was a really particular feeling because it was the primary time I performed towards a 2600-grandmaster. I feel it was my first open event as effectively, so I had by no means had an opportunity to play towards s robust grandmaster. And the primary time I play towards a 2600-rated grandmaster, I managed to beat him. I could not imagine it myself! I did not perceive what I did on the time. It was a particular achievement.”

I could not imagine it myself. I did not perceive what I did on the time. It was a particular achievement.

—Abdusattorov on his victory towards a 2600-rated GM as a nine-year-old

Abdusattorov On Assembly Carlsen: He Was My Idol

He reveals an amusing story about how he on the time had simply found who the world primary since 2010 was, one he would later be competing towards and even defeating.

“I did not know Magnus in any respect. I hadn’t heard about him. First time I heard about him was within the 2013 Candidates. I used to be like eight years outdated. On the time I discovered that he was the world primary. I simply knew the world champion, Vishy, and I solely knew Magnus as a well-known participant. After I discovered that Magnus is far stronger and higher-rated, I used to be sort of stunned.”

“After the match towards Vishy, Magnus was clearly stronger and significantly better. I used to be simply so impressed with him. He was my idol on the time.”

I used to be simply so impressed with him. He was my idol on the time.

—Abdusattorov on Carlsen in 2013

Simply two years later, in 2015, Abdusattorov had fairly the breakthrough. He catapulted from 2263 to 2465 in a matter of a month. That very same 12 months he participated within the Qatar Masters, rubbing shoulders with a few of the world’s largest chess stars for the primary time.

Eight years later, he has a confession to make: “I used to be every participant and seeing them for the primary time with an open mouth. It was so thrilling!”

From working behind Magnus Carlsen in a soccer subject (in Qatar 2015) to now holding him to a draw, Nodirbek Abdusattorov has come a great distance. Magnus Carlsen started the World Blitz 2019 with 5.0/5, this 15-year-old teen lastly stopped him!

Picture: Amruta Mokal pic.twitter.com/XHGhiOy55d

— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) December 29, 2019

In Qatar he additionally bought to indicate off his expertise, comparable to unbelievable tempo and willpower on the soccer (soccer) pitch, as this reporter witnessed first-hand. “I keep in mind I scored a objective,” he says smilingly, including that he’s nonetheless a eager participant.

He ended up taking an image with Carlsen, who received the event. “I didn’t discuss to him. I used to be simply completely satisfied to get the image!”

Abdusattorov has the reminiscence contemporary is his thoughts when now he has turn out to be a star himself and followers are chasing after a selfie with him as a substitute. The younger Uzbek’s rise has been meteoric. He was barely 13 when he grew to become a grandmaster, the sixth youngest in historical past, and 15 when he crossed the 2600 barrier. He confronted Carlsen for the primary time within the 2019 World Blitz Championship, the place he held a draw as Black.

Within the 2021 World Speedy Championship he received a key sport towards Carlsen that sensationally secured him the title. After defeating him of their first classical encounter in Tata Metal Chess 2023, Abdusattorov stays the one high participant with a plus rating towards the Norwegian in classical chess.

“After that occasion, it was apparent that I used to be going to succeed in the very high very quickly. My childhood time had handed, and I needed to develop and take it significantly from that time. Now it is very, very critical.”

“Trying again on the time, it was my dream to play even one classical sport towards him. After a while, I’m virtually taking part in towards him in each massive event. It’s altering in a really simple and sudden method. It is a very nice feeling to play towards him. I take pleasure in it, however on the similar time it is some sort of competitors.”

Abdusattorov has a transparent warning for the world primary.

“Now it is apparent that Magnus is… regardless of being the perfect participant on the planet, our technology is coming for him. It should be very powerful for Magnus.”

Our technology is coming for him. It should be very powerful for Magnus.

—Nodirbek Abdusattorov

Carlsen On Abdusattorov: ‘Not Satisfied’

Carlsen himself mentioned he feels the kids, together with Abdusattorov, nonetheless have some technique to go earlier than they’re at his degree.

“For the second, I do not suppose any of them are near being at my degree. That does not imply that it is all the time simple,” Carlsen mentioned within the current Sjakksnakk podcast.

The previous world champion has beforehand praised Abdusattorov’s focus and self-discipline, and skills to defend inferior positions, calling him “extraordinarily spectacular.” Nonetheless, the previous world champion charges Firouzja greater.

“There isn’t any doubt that Alireza is a much bigger expertise. Whether or not he’s a extra doubtless decide to have a greater chess profession than Abdusattorov, I’m not certain. However I’m not one hundred pc satisfied by Abdusattorov, nonetheless. I’m speaking when it comes to being a transparent primary, not whether or not he’s going to be a perennial high participant, clearly. However it’s nonetheless onerous to say,” Carlsen mentioned.

Whether or not Abdusattorov will make it to the very high someday stays to be seen, however he definitely appears to be in a great place.