In a stunning upset at the Tata Steel Masters, 14-year-old Turkish prodigy Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş defeated India's top player Arjun Erigaisi with the black pieces during the seventh round on January 24, 2026. The victory highlighted Erdoğmuş's rising talent in the tournament. As the youngest grandmaster in the world, he has quickly made his mark on the international chess scene.
Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş, a 14-year-old from Turkey, captured attention at the Tata Steel Masters by comprehensively outplaying 22-year-old Arjun Erigaisi in round seven. Playing with black, Erdoğmuş secured a clear win, adding to his strong performance in the event. Earlier, in round six, he had beaten Jorden van Foreest, while drawing against players like Nodirbek Abdusattarov and Hans Niemann. His only loss so far came against Javokhir Sindarov. These results placed him fourth in the standings, trailing Hans Niemann but ahead of Vladimir Fedoseev.
Erdoğmuş's background underscores his prodigious talent. Born in Bursa, Turkey, to parents Gülsüm and Selahattin, he began playing chess at age six, introduced by his kindergarten teacher. Early successes included winning the under-8 category at the 2018 Çeşme International Open Chess Tournament, the 2019 Turkey Youth Chess Championship in the same group, and dominating the 2019 under-8 European Chess Championship by winning all eight games.
He earned the International Master title before turning 12, the youngest from Turkey to do so, following a strong performance at the 2022 Svetozar Gligorić Memorial in Serbia during the 3rd FIDE Council. That year, he also claimed the online ChessKid Youth Speed Chess Championship. In 2023, he finished ninth in the same event with 7.5 points from 10 games. By April 2024, performances at the Grenke Chess Festival elevated him to grandmaster status, making him the fourth-youngest in history. Later that year, he became the youngest player to surpass the 2600 Elo rating. As of November 2025, he holds the title of the world's youngest grandmaster.
Chess observers have praised his potential. A post from ChessBase India noted: "Everyday it feels like Magnus Carlsen is more and more right – Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus is the best 14-year-old the World has ever seen." Erdoğmuş's achievements signal a bright future in competitive chess.
