Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, 14, has become chess’s youngest ever 2700-rated grandmaster, breaking an age record set a decade ago by China’s Wei Yi at 15. The Turkish teenager is already the highest ever rated 12-, 13- and 14-year-old, and the youngest to reach the world top 50. For the moment, his new achievement only shows in the live daily ratings, but will become official when Fide’s monthly list for May is published at the end of the month.
Veselin Topalov was the world No 1 20 years ago and was the Fide world champion. However, the Bulgarian has been largely inactive since he finished seventh of 10 at Norway 2022 and the rust showed in his performance. For Erdogmus, it was his third important match success, after his 4-2 victory against the eight-time Russian champion Peter Svidler and his 3.5-2.5 margin against France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. One of his wins from the 2025 Fide Grand Swiss in Samarkand has been dubbed the “Turkish Immortal” due to its brilliant sacrificial conclusion.
