Andrey Esipenko

Andrey Esipenko is a Russian chess Grandmaster born on March 22, 2002 in Rostov-on-Don. He made history at the 2021 Tata Steel Chess Tournament when, at just 18, he became the first — and so far only — teenager to defeat Magnus Carlsen in classical chess while Carlsen was the reigning World Champion.

Esipenko qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament through the 2025 World Cup, where he reached the semifinals before falling to Wei Yi in tiebreaks. He secured third place and earned his ticket to Cyprus. Currently playing for the esports organization Virtus.pro, Esipenko represents a new generation of Russian chess talent competing on the world stage.

At 24, Esipenko enters the 2026 Candidates as one of the dark horses in the field, but his track record of performing in high-pressure situations — and that Carlsen scalp — makes him a player no one wants to face in a must-win game.