In 2002, Sergei Alexandrovich Karjakin gained the grandmaster title at the age of 12 years and 7 months, which stood for 19 years as the youngest age at which a person had become a GM until Mishra in 2021 beat that record by slightly over two months. Karjakin remains the second youngest player to have won the GM title despite several other players achieving that feat while aged 12.
Winner of the World U12 Championship 2001, the World Cup 2015 and the Candidates Tournament of 2016. Karjakin challenged Magnus Carlsen for the World Championship in November 2016. He led by +1 after winning game 8 of the 12-game classical portion of the match before Carlsen equalised in game 10 and then won by 3-1 in the rapid tiebreaker.
Most significant tournament wins include Corus B in 2005, the category XVIII Petr Izmailov Memorial Tournament in 2006, Corus 2009, the Karpov Poikovsky tournament in 2010 and Norway Chess in Stavanger in 2013 & 2014.
Represented Ukraine at the three Olympiads between 2004 and 2008 winning team and individual gold in 2004. Also played for Ukraine at the U16 Olympiad in 2002, winning team and individual silver.
Represented Russia at three Olympiads from 2010 to 2014, winning team silver in 2010 and 2012, individual gold in 2010 and individual bronze in 2012.
Won individual gold with Ukraine at the 2005 World Team Championship, team gold with Russia at the 2013 World Team Championship and individual silver and bronze at the 2013 and 2015 World Team Championships.
At the European Team Championships, won individual bronze playing for Ukraine in 2007 and individual silver playing for Russia in 2011.
First played in the European Club Cup as a twelve year old in 2002 and as of the end of the 2015 season, has won two individual gold medals (2005 & 2015), one team silver (2013) and four team bronzes (2005, 2007, 2008 & 2014).
Also played in the Russian Premier League since 2006 except in 2009, 2011 and 2015, winning four team golds (2007, 2010, 2012 & 2014), one team silver (2013), two individual golds (2010 & 2012) and one individual silver (2007).
