There is an interesting appeal that follows when kids are talented in any sport.
That they can show such immense mastery at such a young age is something that most individuals will appreciate.
Young chess players nowadays are formidable opponents in tournaments, with some as young as 10 achieving the highest chess titles.
Most recently, we had Gukesh Dommaraju, who at 18 became a world champion.
In that light, this article will look at the profiles of some of the most remarkable chess prodigies that you should definitely keep an eye on.
Who is a Chess Prodigy?
In chess, the word “prodigy” is reserved for young players who reach a high level of play at an unusually early age.
Among the top 10 best players of all time were chess prodigies such as…
- José Raúl Capablanca, who began learning chess at 4, became the world champion.
- Bobby Fischer achieved the title of US champion at 14, became a grandmaster at 15, and eventually claimed the world champion title at 29.
- Garry Kasparov dethroned Karpov to become a world champion at 22, making him one of the youngest champions in history.
- Magnus Carlsen achieved the title of grandmaster at 13 and later became a world champion at 22. By this feat, he solidified his status as one of the greatest players in history.
Prodigies in Today’s Age
Prodigies used to be a rarity in the chess world, but nowadays, we are fortunate to have many prodigies who have shown immense talent in the game.
Perhaps this is directly a result of the computer age, where kids can practice and learn chess right from their own rooms.
10. Andy Woodward
Andy Austin Woodward was born on May 2, 2010, in Texas.
By 2021, he earned his first IM norm 2021 at the North American Junior Championship in Charlotte and later secured multiple IM norms in Serbia.
In October 2022, he claimed his first GM norm, defeating strong grandmasters Illya Nyzhnyk and Gergely Kantor.
At just 13 years, 8 months, and 28 days, he became a grandmaster, the second youngest in US history after Abhimanyu Mishra.
In 2025, he defeated Ray Robson to become the Puzzle World Champion.
9. Ethan Pang
Ethan Pang began playing chess at 5 during the COVID-19 lockdown.
By the age of 7, he had represented England at the 2022 European Youth Chess Championship.
In June 2025, he became the youngest player to surpass the 2200 FIDE rating mark and earned his CM title.
Later that year, in November 2024, he broke a record previously set by Faustino Oro as the youngest player to surpass a 2300 rating, earning him the title of FIDE Master.
8. Lu Miaoyi
Lu Miaoyi (born 2010) has rapidly established herself as one of the most brilliant prodigies in the world and a central figure in the next wave of Chinese chess.
Born into a chess-playing family, she was introduced to the game by her mother, Woman Grandmaster Xu Yuanyuan.
She took part in FIDE-rated events at five, laying the foundation for her remarkable chess career.
By 2023, she had already achieved the title of Woman Grandmaster.
This showed not only her exceptional talent but also her capacity to compete on the international stage, setting a sound foundation for her chess career.
She broke records again in 2024 when she won the Chinese Women’s Championship after a rollercoaster Blitz Playoff and became a national champion at just 14 years old.
That same year, she was honored with the prestigious International Master (IM) title, solidifying her position as one of the youngest female players to attain this milestone.
Nearing a peak of 2500 FIDE rating, Lu is considered a contender for the Grandmaster title and could become a leading force in women’s chess.
By this, she will be following in the footsteps of Chinese legends like Hou Yifan and Ju Wenjun.
7. Ivan Zemlyanskii
Ivan Zemlyanskii, born on August 31, 2010, is a Russian chess prodigy who made history by becoming the second-youngest player ever to earn the grandmaster title, which he was awarded in August 2024.
This achievement also secured his place as the youngest Russian to attain the GM title, a record he continues to hold.
In the years following his title, Zemlyanskii has continued to shine on the international stage.
In May 2025, he captured the Asian Individual Blitz Championship in Al Ain, finishing undefeated with an impressive 8/9 score against a field stacked with grandmasters.
With a FIDE rating climbing above 2540, he is recognized as one of the brightest young stars in world chess and a leading figure among the next generation of elite players.
6. Bodhana Sivanandan
Bodhana Sivanandan is a sensational talent from the United Kingdom.
In 2023, she won a ‘triple crown’ at the Under-8 World Cadet Chess Championship, marking her as one of the brightest female players in the world.
Well-known for her fearless, tactical, and attacking style, Bodhana has earned several victories over titled players at such a young age.
In 2025, her rise sped up as she earned the Women’s Grandmaster norm at just 9 years old, one of the youngest ever to do so.
She was also a participant at the British Open Rapid Championship, where she defeated former British Champion Peter Wells.
5. Rose Atwell
Born on January 1, 2009, Rose Atwell is one of the most talented female chess prodigies, having reached the 2300 FIDE mark in January 2024 before her 15th birthday.
Currently, with multiple IM norms, she is one of the very few female players who have spoken against female titles in chess.
In August 2025, she won the 171-player Central California Open and defeated Grandmaster Enrico Sevillano in the final round.
She has featured in the US Women’s Chess Championship and will play for the second time in 2025.
4. Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus
Another chess prodigy and grandmaster who became an international master before the age of 12 and was also the fourth-youngest grandmaster in history.
In 2024, he broke another record as the youngest ever player to reach a rating of 2600. As of September 2025, he was rated at 2646.
Erdogmus has broken several records, including GM Judit Polgar’s record as the highest-rated player before the age of 13, by reaching a rating of 2569.
3. Ediz Gurel
Ediz Gurel was born on December 5th, 2008, and was the youngest ever Turkish Grandmaster.
He received the title of Grandmaster in 2024 after winning the Prague Chess Festival (Challenger section), which also qualified him for the Masters section in 2025.
One of his significant career milestones was winning an individual bronze medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad, showcasing his prowess at a prestigious international event.
He has a FIDE rating of 2631 and was one of the youngest persons to defeat a world champion in classical chess when he defeated Gukesh Dommaraju at the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament.
2. Abhimanyu Mishra
Abhimanyu Mishra holds the world record as the youngest grandmaster in history, achieving the title at 12 years and 4 months in 2021.
More recently, he has been on a 67+-game undefeated streak against some of the world’s best players.
In a game against the World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, at the FIDE Grand Swiss, he became the youngest person to defeat a World Champion at 16.
He held the title for the youngest IM and, in 2023, won the US Junior Championship with a score of 6 out of 9 points.
In the same year, he tied for second place at the US Championship among the world elites.
1. Faustino Oro (Argentina)
Faustino Oro, born on October 13th, 2013, has garnered attention as one of the most talented players from South America.
Because of his immense talent and nationality, he is nicknamed the “Messi of Chess.”
He became the youngest player in the world to surpass the 2300 FIDE rating mark, showcasing his fearless play against older opponents.
He also broke the record for the youngest player to achieve an International Master norm.
Currently rated at a 2464 standard rating, he has defeated several of the world’s top players in bullet chess, including Magnus Carlsen.
Most notably, he challenged Vishy Anand and held his own, narrowly losing to the more experienced world champion and legend of the game.
One can only wonder how long it will be until he ultimately achieves the grandmaster title.
Final Words
Kids are remarkably impressive nowadays, and this new generation of chess prodigies is reshaping what can be achieved at a young age.
The accomplishments of these chess prodigies inspire not only their peers but also the entire world, showing that the future is bright in their capable hands.
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