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SYDNEY,bhayaksa.net— The global chess arena is no stranger to Anton Smirnov. Born in Canberra on January 28, 2001, Anton Vladimirovich Smirnov holds the record as Australia’s youngest Grandmaster (GM) and currently stands as the nation’s top-ranked player.
Chess runs deep in his veins. The son of International Master (IM) Vladimir Smirnov, Anton was trained by his father starting at the age of four.
This rigorous early development propelled him to earn his FIDE Master (FM) title in 2013, the International Master (IM) title at age 13 in 2014, and ultimately break the record as Australia’s youngest GM during the 88th FIDE Congress in Antalya, Turkey, in 2017.
Proven Track Record and Career Statistics
His Grandmaster title is backed by extensive competitive experience. Anton Smirnov boasts a total of 1,329 official FIDE matches under his belt, tallying 752 victories, 334 draws, and 243 losses.
Standard (Classical) Chess: Holding a rating of 2586 (peak 2604). Out of 945 classical games, he has recorded 453 wins, 300 draws, and 192 losses.
Rapid Chess: Holding a rating of 2518. Out of 72 games, Anton has achieved 56 wins, 8 draws, and only 8 losses.
Blitz Chess: Holding a rating of 2604 (peak 2618). Across 312 blitz games, he has secured 243 wins, 26 draws, and 43 losses.
Global Rankings and Notable Accomplishments
On both regional and international stages, Anton ranks #1 in Australia, #77 in Asia, and #258 worldwide. He also broke into the global elite by reaching #9 in the World Top 100 Juniors list in April 2021.
His international team performances are equally impressive. He went undefeated in two consecutive Chess Olympiads—Tromsø 2014 (scoring 7.5/9 on Board 5) and Baku 2016 (scoring 8.5/10 on Board 4 while securing his final GM norm).
At the 2017 Chess World Cup, Anton proved his strength on the big stage by drawing twice against world elite Sergey Karjakin in classical games.
Domestically, his resume includes winning the Australian Junior Championship U8 at just 5 years old, the U18 title at age 12, the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, and the 2018 Australasian Masters.
Active Presence at North Chess Club Building
Despite his elite international standing, Anton—who resides in Greater Sydney and New South Wales—remains deeply connected to the local grassroots community. He is a frequent fixture at the Norths Chess Club (North Chess Club Building) in Sydney, Australia.
At this renowned club, GM Anton regularly sharpens his tactics in local tournaments and generously shares his expertise through simultaneous exhibition games.
His presence at the North Chess Club Building continues to draw enthusiasm and serve as a beacon of inspiration for rising young Australian chess players aiming for international success.
Reporter: David Gunawan Sanjaya
Editor: Tim bhayaksa.net
