Child grandmasters

By Frank “Boy” Pestaño
Chessmoso

ALMOST all grandmasters play chess at an early age. Seldom does one become a grandmaster after learning the game later in life, although, there are some rare exceptions.

Additionally there are a select group of chess players who became grandmasters while literally still children.

The first one is of course Bobby Fischer. Born on March 9, 1943, he became a GM at 15 years, six months and one day and became world champion on Sept. 1, 1972. He is considered to be the most gifted chess player ever and also the most eccentric and the most outspoken.

It took a long time for the next child GM to come along and was exceptionally rare because she was a girl. Judit Polgar, born on July 23, 1976 became a GM at age 15 years, four months, and 28 days. She is from Hungary and is the youngest of three playing sisters: Susan and middle sister, Sofia.

Another girl GM that came much later is India’s star Koneru Humpey. Born on March 31, 1987, she became a GM at age 15 years, four months and 28 days, the same as Judit Polgar. She is a former World Junior Champion and was a semifinalist in the last World Women Championship.

The newest member on this list is Ngoc Truongson Nguyen of Vitnam, who was born on Feb. 23, 1990 and became a GM at age 14 years, 10 months and 28 days. He achieved his third and final norm at the First Saturday tournament in Budapest, which concluded this Dec. 15. Watch out for this lad.

This boy acquired his third and final norm on the same tournament that Mark Paragua also became GM. Yuriy Kuzubov was born on Jan. 26, 1990 and became a GM at the Alushta tournament this year at the age of 14 years, seven months and 12 days.

Next on line is Peter Leko of Hungary, who was born on Sept. 8, 1979. He became a GM at age 14 years, four months and 22 days. He predicted that he would become world champion and almost became one this year over Classical World Champion Vladimir Kramnik after they were tied, 7-7. According to the rules, Kramnik retained his crown. Peter is ranked No.6 in the world today.

The next youngest is Etienne Bacrot of France, born on Jan. 22, 1983 and became a GM at age 14 years and two months. He started playing at age four and when he defeated former world champion Vassily Smyslov at age 12, the latter said, “I thought I was playing a child but I am certain I was playing a grandmaster.” Etienne is currently No.11 in the latest Fide rankings.

Former Fide world champion Ruslan Ponomariov was born on Oct. 11, 1983 and became a GM at age 14 years and 17 days. He became the youngest world champion in Jan. 22, 2002 at the age of 18. He was the U-12 world champion in 1994 and 1995 and U-18 world champion in 1997. He is some sort of a maverick and presently is at odds with Fide and its president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. His current ranking is No.13 as a result of inactivity.

Azerbaijan’s pride is Teimour Radjabov, who was born on March 12, 1987 and became GM at age 14 years and 14 days. He reached the semifinals in the last World Championship in Tripoli, Libya and is considered a potential world champion. He is currently ranked No.40 in the world today.

Bu Xiangzhi is China’s contribution to this list and was born on Dec. 10, 1985.

He became a GM at age 13 years, 10 months and 13 days, and is ranked No. 90 in the latest Fide rankings.

From Norway comes Magnus Carlsen who was born on Nov. 1990 and became GM at age 13 years, three months and 27 days. He is being referred to as the Mozart of chess and was the youngest participant in the last World Championship in Libya.

Finally, at a frightening 12 years and seven months, Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine is the youngest ever to become GM. He was born on Jan. 12, 1990 and his parents never played chess, which means that he is a self-propelled dynamo. He also played in Libya.

VISITORS FROM MANILA AND OROQUIETA. It looks like Cepca will start next year’s chess activities with a bang as we are expecting our counterparts from Manila and Oroquieta to play with us and watch the Sinulog. We don’t have the format yet but as hosts we should roll out the red carpet, as they will be spending time and money to come here.

Fond of trivia? Visit www.dyaryoboy.com/chessmoso and play everyday.