Turkish chess prodigy Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş has become the youngest player in history to surpass the 2700 ELO rating threshold, a milestone that places him among the elite of world chess.
According to a statement from the Turkish Chess Federation on Friday, the 14-year-old grandmaster achieved the feat during the “Clash of Generations III” tournament organized by the Monaco Chess Federation.
Competing in Monaco, Erdoğmuş delivered a dominant performance against former world champion Veselin Topalov, defeating him with a 4-1 score. The result earned him enough rating points to cross the 2700 ELO barrier, widely regarded as the benchmark of chess’s top tier.
With the achievement, Erdoğmuş set a new record as the youngest player ever to reach a 2700 rating at age 14. The previous record was held by Chinese grandmaster Wei Yi, who reached the mark at 15.
Some of the world’s leading players, including world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, Alireza Firouzja and Dommaraju Gukesh, crossed the same threshold at age 16.
Erdoğmuş also set a new national record, achieving the highest ELO rating in Turkish chess history.
Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak congratulated the young grandmaster, praising his “historic achievement” and expressing hope for his continued success.
“National grandmaster Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş has made us proud with his historic accomplishment,” Bak said in a statement. “By surpassing the 2700 ELO threshold in Monaco and becoming the youngest player to enter the elite ranks of world chess, he has set a world record. I congratulate him and thank everyone who contributed to this success.”
