| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2015 (age 9–10) |
| Chess career | |
| Country | Serbia |
Leonid Ivanovic (born 2015) is a Serbian junior chess prodigy. In January 2024, at age eight, he became the youngest player to defeat a Grandmaster in a classical tournament game. [1] [2] [3]
In the second round of the Novogodišnji Rating ŠSB Open in Belgrade, Ivanovic defeated GM Milko Popchev, then aged 59 with Elo rating 2193. At that moment, Ivanovic was 8 years, 11 months, and 7 days old. [3] [4]
He achieved a result of three wins, two draws and one loss (4/6 points) in that tournament. [1]
Chess.com described his win as a milestone: first time ever for a player under nine to beat a GM in classical chess. [1]
Serbian media highlighted the feat, often comparing him with past prodigies and emphasizing its significance in Serbian chess. [3] [4]
His record was surpassed in February 2024 when Ashwath Kaushik, aged 8 years and 6 months, defeated GM Jacek Stopa in a classical game, becoming the youngest ever to do so. [5]
According to Serbian reports, Ivanovic is from Novi Sad and trains with a chess coach twice a week. His preparation includes solving tactical puzzles and playing blitz and rapid formats to sharpen his calculation skills. [3] [4]
His achievement was covered by mainstream Serbian news outlets such as Sportklub, Srpskainfo, as well as international chess media including Chess.com and ETV Bharat. [2]