Rising prodigy defeats senior opponents in stunning tactical display

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is witnessing the rise of a new strategic mastermind, and he is only six years old. Pratyush Kumar, a budding talent from the Chessturf Academy, has captured the attention of the state's sporting community with a phenomenal performance at the recently concluded SOA CAT-B Chess Tournament.

Displaying a temperament that belies his tender age, Pratyush took on the challenge of playing ten grueling rounds against purely rated opponents. In a field dominated by experienced players, the youngster held his ground to score a commendable 3.5 points. This score is significant not just for the numbers, but for the quality of opposition he dismantled.

Pratyush secured victories over three players with ratings around 1500 and managed a hard-fought draw against a veteran player rated 1700. These results highlight his fearless approach and rapid growth on the 64 squares.

Closing in on History

His efforts did not go unrewarded. Pratyush clinched the 7th Prize in the Unrated Category, walking away with a cash award of Rs 5,000. However, the bigger prize lies just ahead. With this performance, the Odisha chess prodigy is now knocking on the door of history, poised to potentially become the youngest rated chess player from the state.

This recent success at the SOA CAT-B Chess Tournament follows a string of impressive performances. Just last month, in December 2025, Pratyush made Odisha proud on the national stage. He finished 4th at the National Schools U-7 Championship held in Guwahati, scoring a massive 7 out of 9 points against the country's best young minds.

Experts believe Pratyush’s journey is a perfect example of how raw talent, when combined with disciplined training, can yield early results. As he continues to train under the guidance of Chessturf Academy, the chess fraternity in Bhubaneswar and across Odisha waits with bated breath for his official rating.