It might not be a file, however the world has a brand new youngest grandmaster—14-year-old Ukrainian prodigy GM Ihor Samunenkov.

{The teenager}’s title has been confirmed by the world chess federation FIDE this month after he met all the necessities on September 26 final yr.

As a brand new grandmaster Samunenkov, who grew to become Ukrainian champion aged simply 12, inherits the mantle from U.S. GM Abhimanyu Mishra, who will probably be 15 subsequent month.

Having turn into a GM at 14 years, three months, and 15 days outdated, Samunenkov sits throughout the top-25 youngest grandmasters of all time.

Mishra nonetheless holds the file for the youngest grandmaster in historical past. Mishra was 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days outdated when he achieved the feat in June 2021.

Samunenkov, from Kyiv, is presently rated 2533 by FIDE. On Chess.com he has a blitz score of 2838. The teenager has been thought of a rising star in chess since he began taking part in professionally aged eight.

He grew to become an FM in 2021, a yr when he beat 4 grandmasters within the World Speedy Championship in Warsaw for a 2583 score efficiency. In spherical two he drew with legendary GM Aleksey Dreev. 

12-year-old Ihor Samunenkov is a rising star from Ukraine. In 2021 he grew to become the nationwide fast champion (not youth, however an general one!) and some days in the past he defeated the youngest-ever GM Abhimanyu Mishra to assert gold on the FIDE On-line Cadets and Youth Speedy Tremendous Closing U12. pic.twitter.com/yqqkepcLLo

— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 26, 2021

He grew to become an IM a yr later, after which had his GM title ratified by the FIDE Council in 2023.

Three “norms” and a score above 2500 are required by FIDE to award the title. Samunenkov achieved his first norm on the European Particular person Championships in Slovenia in 2022. His second was on the Vezerkepzo Summer season event in Budapest, Hungary, in July final yr.

Samunenkov acquired his last norm on the Polish Crew Championship in Lublin on the finish of September, the place he beat 4 GMs. He handed the score requirement in April 2023.

In October, shortly after his GM utility was lodged, Samunenkov drew with Ukrainian legend Vasyl Ivanchuk in spherical one of many FIDE Grand Swiss, a event he performed as a FIDE wild card.

A battle of the ages between two Ukrainian gamers at present: Vasyl Ivanchuk, born in 1969 and one of many oldest gamers within the subject, takes on Ihor Samunenkov, one of many youngest contributors, born in 2009. #FIDEGrandSwiss pic.twitter.com/Qjt1IdbNPs

— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) October 25, 2023

Requested after that recreation if he aimed to be world champion in the future, Samunenkov stated: “Sure after all, I feel it’s the goal of everybody.”

Samunenkov’s achievement has been heralded by Ukraine’s Ministry of Youth and Sports activities. In a press release issued to media, it stated: “By the choice of the third FIDE Council, 14-year-old Kyivan Igor Samunenkov has been conferred the title of Grandmaster.”

Samunenkov is simply the newest in a line of Ukrainian expertise to achieve grandmaster at a younger age. In 2002, GM Ruslan Ponomariov grew to become the youngest chess world champion in historical past after incomes the title aged 14 and 17 days. Ponomariov went on to turn into FIDE world champion on the aged of 17.

GM Sergey Karjakin was additionally representing Ukraine when he broke the file, later taken by Mishra, aged 12 years and 7 months.

Who might succeed Samunenkov because the world’s youngest? Two candidates are 13-year-old U.S. IM Andy Woodward and Turkish 12-year-old IM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, who’ve each already met the 2500 score requirement and now want to finish their GM norms.