Anish Giri was born on June 28, 1994. He was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His mother, Olga, is Russian, and his father, Sanjay Giri, is from Nepal. Anish’s family has roots in different countries. His father's mother is from India. This gives Anish a mixed and rich cultural background.
Early Life And Education
When Anish was a child, his family moved several times. In 2002, when he was only eight years old, they moved from Russia to Japan. They lived in a city called Sapporo in Japan. Anish stayed there until 2008, so he spent a good part of his childhood in Japan. In 2008, when Anish was about 14 years old, his family moved again. This time, they went to the Netherlands. They settled in a small town called Rijswijk. His father worked there at a research and consulting foundation.
Anish attended school in the Netherlands. He completed his education at Grotius College in Delft in 2013. Anish can speak many languages. He knows Russian, English, Dutch, Nepali, and Japanese. This helped him in many ways, including his chess career.
Anish Giri Age, Height, Wikipedia, Biography, Religion, Father & Family
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Anish Kumar Giri |
| Date of Birth | 28 June 1994 |
| Place of Birth | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Ethnicity/Background | Nepali-Indian father, Russian mother, paternal grandmother from India (Indo-Nepalese descent) |
| Languages Spoken | Russian, English, Dutch, Nepali (childhood), Japanese (childhood) |
| Early Life | Moved from Russia to Japan in 2002, lived there until 2008; then moved to the Netherlands (Rijswijk) |
| Education | Graduated from Grotius College, Delft, South Holland, Netherlands |
| Chess Titles | Grandmaster (achieved in 2009 at 14 years old) |
| Chess Milestones | - Became grandmaster at age 14 years, 7 months, 2 days (2009) |
| - Five-time Dutch Chess Champion (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2023) | |
| - Won 2023 Tata Steel Chess Tournament | |
| - Represented Netherlands in seven Chess Olympiads (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024) | |
| Career Highlights | - Assisted Viswanathan Anand in 2010 World Chess Championship preparations |
| - Participated in Candidates Tournaments (2016, 2020, qualified for 2026) | |
| - Won FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025, qualifying for Candidates 2026 | |
| - Winner of Shenzhen Masters (2019), Sharjah Masters (2025) | |
| Rankings | Peak rating: 2798 (Oct 2015); Peak ranking: No. 3 in the world (Jan 2016); No. 1 in Netherlands (2024) |
| Personal Life | Married to Sopiko Guramishvili (Dutch chess player) since 2015 |
| Children: 2 sons (Daniel born 2017, Michael born 2021), 1 daughter | |
| Parents | Father: Sanjay Giri (water scientist); Mother: Olga Giri (water scientist) |
| Height | Approximately 175 cm (5'9") |
| Chess Style | Known for deep theoretical knowledge and solid playing style |
| Other | Started learning chess at age 6 from his mother |
| Also a writer and YouTuber |
Started Chess
Anish began playing chess when he was only six years old. His mother taught him how to play the game. At first, he learned the basics from her. Then, he started practicing more seriously. He got a chess book as a gift, which made him interested in learning more.
Anish joined his first chess club in Saint Petersburg. It was called DYUSH-2. Here, two coaches helped him improve. Their names were Asya Kovalyova and Andrei Praslov. They guided Anish and helped him become stronger at chess.
When Anish was in Japan, he joined the Japan Chess Association. He also played for the Sapporo Chess Club. In 2004, at the age of ten, Anish won the Sapporo Chess Championship. This was an important early success.
By the time Anish was 11, his chess rating was above 2100. This rating shows he was very good, almost at a master level for his age. He kept improving step by step. Between 2006 and 2010, his rating rose quickly.
Becoming a Grandmaster
Anish’s rise in chess was fast and steady. He started playing in many tournaments in Russia and Europe. In 2007, he shared first place in the Russian Higher League Under-14s Boys Championship. He also won the Saint Petersburg Boys Under-16 Championship. In 2008, Anish earned his first Grandmaster norm. A Grandmaster norm is a big step towards becoming a chess grandmaster. He earned this norm at the Intomart GfK Open in the Netherlands. He earned more norms by playing well in other tournaments like the Groningen tournament.
In January 2009, Anish played in the Corus Chess Group C tournament. He tied for second place. This gave him his third Grandmaster norm. Soon after, in June 2009, Anish became a grandmaster at the age of just 14 years and 7 months. He was one of the youngest grandmasters in the world at that time. After becoming a grandmaster, Anish did not stop. He kept playing and winning tournaments. The same year, 2009, he won the Dutch Chess Championship, his first national title.
Rise to Fame
Anish Giri continued to grow as a chess player. He won the Dutch Championship five times (in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, and recently in 2023). This shows his strong hold in Dutch chess. He also played for the Netherlands in many Chess Olympiads. The Chess Olympiad is a big global team event in chess. Anish participated in six Olympiads from 2010 to 2022. He helped the Netherlands in these important tournaments.
Anish worked with many chess coaches to improve his skills. Between 2009 and 2012, and again from 2017, he worked with Vladimir Chuchelov, a well-known chess trainer. From 2013 to 2016, Vladimir Tukmakov was also his coach. These trainings helped Anish reach new heights in chess.
Personal Life
Anish Giri is married to Sopiko Guramishvili, who is also a chess player. They got married in 2015. Anish is not only a chess champion but also a family man with two sons and a daughter. Anish is known for his smart playing style. He is very calm and uses deep thinking in his games. Many around the world respect him as a top chess player.
He speaks several languages, which helps him communicate with chess fans worldwide. Anish also creates content online about chess and shares his thoughts with people.
Conclusion
Anish Giri’s story is inspiring. He started playing chess at a very young age with his mother. Despite moving from Russia to Japan and then to the Netherlands, he kept working hard. His hard work made him one of the best chess players in the world. At 14 years, he achieved the grandmaster title, a big success. He has won many national and international tournaments since then. Anish’s life shows that with dedication and love for the game, great success is possible, no matter where you come from.
Today, on September 16, 2025, Anish Giri is still one of the top chess players in the world. He continues to inspire young players all over the globe with his talent and hard work.