Breaking record, 14-year-old achieves distinction as youngest grandmaster in the nation's chess history.
In a stunning display of chess prowess, 14-year-old Edgar Mamedov, a member of the Youth Sports School, has fulfilled his final grandmaster norm at the recent Menorca Open tournament. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Mamedov's promising chess career, bringing him one step closer to potentially becoming the youngest grandmaster in Kazakhstan's history.
The Menorca Open, held in Spain, attracted 326 chess players from 48 countries, providing a challenging and diverse competition for Mamedov. Despite the fierce competition, Mamedov managed to secure 6th place, with a score of 7/9, showcasing his competitive strength in both rapid and classical formats.
Mamedov's journey to the grandmaster title has been nothing short of impressive. In the 2025 Kazakhstan Cadet and Junior Chess Championship (U16), he scored a remarkable 2457 Elo rating and secured notable victories against strong opponents like IM Ilya Zaitsev. His rating has continued to climb, as demonstrated by his participation in the Vladimir Dvorkovich Memorial – Aktobe Open 2025 MASTERS section, where he boasted a rating of 2509.
Earlier in June 2025, Mamedov showcased his competitive strength at international rapid and blitz levels by playing in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team, securing wins against other International Masters and WIMs. Kazakhstan, known for its wealth of young chess talent and several world champions, has frequently highlighted Mamedov among the top prospects in the country’s junior chess circuit.
With a current FIDE rating of 2453, Mamedov now needs only 2500 rating points to officially become an international grandmaster. The Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KCF) has noted that Mamedov has a good chance of achieving this milestone, given his rapid progress and strong tournament results in 2025.
Meanwhile, another young Kazakhstani chess prodigy, 7-year-old Abdul-Malik Kairat from Astana, has recently won the world school champion title in the under-7 category. These achievements underscore the strength of Kazakhstan's chess talent pool, with Mamedov and Kairat serving as shining examples of the country's promising future in the sport.
Sports enthusiasts worldwide can rejoice at the dominance of Kazakhstani chess, with 14-year-old Edgar Mamedov's ongoing journey towards becoming an international grandmaster. As he showcases his skills in various tournaments, such as the Menorca Open, rapid, and blitz formats, sports fans eagerly await his potential record-breaking achievement as the youngest grandmaster in Kazakhstan's history.
