Arnav Singh Dewan Becomes the First ACA Student to Defeat a Grandmaster in an Over-the-Board Game♟️💫
Belgrade, Serbia — Arjun’s Chess Academy (ACA) proudly celebrates a historic milestone as Arnav Singh Dewan, a King Level student at ACA, becomes the first ACA student to defeat a Grandmaster in an over-the-board chess game.
Competing at the prestigious Serbia Open 2026 in Belgrade, Arnav achieved this remarkable feat in the Rapid section, defeating experienced Serbian Grandmaster Milovan Ratkovic, who entered the Rapid tournament with a FIDE rating of 2442.
This is a very special moment in the journey of Arjun’s Chess Academy.
Over the years, several ACA students have defeated Grandmasters in online chess, but Arnav’s victory marks the first time an ACA student has defeated a Grandmaster in an official face-to-face, over-the-board game.
Arnav’s achievement reflects the value of consistent training, competitive experience and international exposure. As a King Level student, he has progressed through ACA’s structured chess training system and is now testing his skills against strong international players on the global stage.
At Arjun’s Chess Academy, we believe chess development goes beyond regular classroom training. ACA continuously creates opportunities for students to participate in FIDE-rated tournaments, international competitions and overseas chess events, giving young players the experience and confidence to compete at higher levels.
From learning the fundamentals to defeating a Grandmaster on the international stage — this is what long-term chess development can achieve.
Congratulations, Arnav Singh Dewan! 👏🏆