Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus has crossed the 2,700 Elo mark at the age of 14 years, 10 months and 28 days, breaking by a wide margin the record previously held by China’s Wei Yi.
The milestone came after an impressive performance by Erdogmus in the Clash of Generations III match against former world number one Veselin Topalov in Monaco. The teenager defeated Topalov 5-1, scoring four wins and two draws over six games. The Turkish representative climbed to a live rating of 2,709, moving up to 29th place in the world classical rankings.
Players who reach the 2,700 Elo mark are unofficially referred to as “super grandmasters.” According to live ratings, there are currently 32 such players.
Before Erdogmus, the youngest player to cross 2,700 was Wei Yi, who achieved the feat at the age of 15 years, 8 months and 27 days. Other top names such as Magnus Carlsen, Alireza Firouzja and Dommaraju Gukesh all reached the same milestone at the age of 16.
The breakthrough win for the Turkish player came in game five against Topalov. Playing Black in a complex position and under time pressure, Erdogmus was at one point in trouble. However, instead of collapsing, he found counterplay, turned the game into a tactical battle, and capitalized on his opponent’s mistake to secure victory. That win was enough to push him past the 2,700 mark in the live ratings. In the final game against Topalov, Erdogmus won again to raise his rating to 2,709.
Unlike many young players who adopt a cautious style to accumulate points, Erdogmus stands out for his sharp and ambitious approach. His games are often rich in variations, full of tactical complications, and demand fast calculation. This is a key factor that sets him apart from many of his peers.
Erdogmus’s rapid rise had been anticipated. He became a Grandmaster (GM) in 2024 at the age of 12 years, 9 months and 29 days, the fourth-youngest in history after Abhimanyu Mishra, Sergey Karjakin and Gukesh. That same year, he also became the youngest player ever to reach a 2,600 Elo rating. “Erdogmus is the strongest 14-year-old in history,” Carlsen once commented.
Born in Bursa, Erdogmus was introduced to chess at the age of six by his kindergarten teacher. Within a few years, he dominated European youth tournaments, including winning the European U8 Championship with a perfect score.
In 2025, he continued to impress by breaking into the world’s Top 100 at age 14 after defeating Peter Svidler. He also made his mark at the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss, including a marathon 190-move game. American grandmaster Ben Finegold even predicted that the young talent could become world champion within eight years.
However, Erdogmus’s 2,700 milestone has so far only been recorded in the live ratings. FIDE will publish its official list on May 1. If he does not play any further classical games before then, he will secure the record.
His achievement also marks a historic milestone for Turkish chess, as he becomes the highest-rated player in the country’s history. From being a developing chess nation, Turkey now has a representative capable of competing at the very top.
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