GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus has taken another step toward chess history. The 14-year-old Turkish prodigy crushed GM Veselin Topalov 5-1 in the Clash of Generations III on Friday, breaking the 2700 barrier on the live rating list for the first time and putting him on track to become the youngest player ever to reach the mark on an official rating list.
The former world champion proved no challenge for the Turkish chess sensation in the match, which took place at the Monte Carlo Chess Club in Monaco from April 12-17.
Erdogmus struck with victories in games two and three, clinched the match by winning game five, and added his fourth win in the final game to complete a dominant 5-1 victory. His stunning 2990 performance is likely among the highest-ever for a match of players at this level.
Clash of Generations III | April 12-17, 2026
| Player | FED | Rating | G1 | G2 | G3 | G4 | G5 | G6 | Total |
| Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus | 2687 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| Veselin Topalov | 2717 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The match was the third edition of the Clash of Generations, held in Monaco. The teenager had already won the first two, defeating GM Peter Svidler 4-2, before edging GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 3.5-2.5 in December.
While the victory over the Frenchman propelled him into the top 50 for the first time, the knockout win against Topalov has taken him past 2700 and into the world’s top 30.
The result adds 22 rating points to his tally, lifting him to 2709 and world number-29 on the live rankings—just ahead of FIDE Candidates 2024 participant GM Vidit Gujrathi.
“I am extremely happy, of course. It has been my dream for a long time,” Erdogmus said about the milestone. “I am always trying to play good chess first. Now I’ll try to reach 2800. That’s my next goal. But I know this will take a lot of time and a great deal of hard work.”
Now I’ll try to reach 2800. That’s my next goal. (…) But I need to work very hard for it.
—Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus
Topalov, the FIDE world champion from 2005-06, seemed an ideal opponent for the rising star. The Bulgarian has been largely inactive in classical chess, and his last tournament appearance was the Norway Chess 2022, where he scored 4/9. Since then he has only played a handful of classical games.
With the loss of 22 rating points, Topalov drops below 2700 for the first time since July 1999, when he was rated 2690 and ranked 13th in the world.
It didn’t take long before it became clear that the 51-year-old Bulgarian was rusty. He let a promising position slip in the first game and then blew everything in one move in game two.
In game three, the prodigy outplayed the former world champion by invading the queenside with his heavy pieces and converting decisively.
Topalov’s best chance came in the fifth game, a Caro-Kann Defense where Erdogmus played aggressively with 9…h5!? Complications arose in the middle game before it spiraled into fireworks.
Erdogmus’ result in Monaco is another step in an extraordinary trajectory. Learning the game in kindergarten at the age of five, he became an international master at 11, and a grandmaster at 12, and he remains the youngest with that title in the world.
After breaking GM Judit Polgar’s legendary rating record from 1989, he now has five incredible records:
- Highest-ever-rated 12-year-old
- Highest-ever-rated 13-year-old
- Highest-ever-rated 14-year-old
- Youngest player to reach the world’s top 50
- Youngest player ever to surpass 2600.
All the above records are for published FIDE ratings, and Erdogmus has now crossed the “super-grandmaster” mark on the live rating list at 14 years and 10 months. If he maintains that rating through the end of the month, he will smash GM Wei Yi’s 2015 record by nearly a year to become the youngest player ever to reach 2700 on an official rating list.
As pointed out by Chess.com’s own statistician Tai Pruce-Zimmerman in his Prodigy Watch earlier this year, his numbers are remarkable. Erdogmus has held the number-one Prodigy Rank—highest-rated player ever at his age—for 24 straight months, and at 14 was more than 60 rating points ahead of the next-best player in history at the same age.
His rapid development has been supported by a strong team. For over two years, he has worked closely with former world number-two, GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, as well as GM Eltaj Safarli.
“I want Yagiz to be the first 2900 player. That’s our goal,” Mamedyarov said during a Turkish broadcast of the match, adding: “People aren’t even aware of five percent of Yagiz’s chess knowledge. He is at a level where he can play any opening he chooses from the moment he wakes up. The happiest days for Turkish chess are just around the corner.”
I want Yagiz to be the first 2900 player. That’s our goal.
—Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
In a comment provided to Chess.com, the Azerbaijani star also added: “While this achievement is a testament to Yagiz’s dedication, our eyes remain fixed on the future. We are proud of this milestone, but we will continue to work tirelessly to reach even greater heights.”
During the broadcast, the Azerbajani grandmaster also praised Erdogmus’ opening knowledge, defensive skills, and said that he intends to dedicate himself to helping Erdogmus reach the very top.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, oyunda kaçan inanılmaz üst seviye kazancı Yağız Kaan’a ve Topalov’a gösteriyor pic.twitter.com/IILH8nBh2i
— ClownProdigy69 (@ClownProdigy69) April 15, 2026
A key factor in his rise has also been the backing of Turkish billionaire entrepreneur Evren Ucok, whose support has enabled Erdogmus to access top-level coaching and consistent international competition. Ucok’s project also supports eleven other rising stars from six countries. Among them are 16-year-old GM Brewington Hardaway, 11-year-old WIM Bodhana Sivanandan, 12-year-old FM Marc Llari, and 10-year-old CM Luca Protopopescu.
Ucok also commented to Chess.com: “We are very happy that our efforts have borne fruit—not just with Yagiz entering the 2700+ club, but also seeing him grow into a disciplined and thoughtful young man.”
Ucok’s talents project, along with Erdogmus’ career, is closely managed by chess coach Selim Gurcan. “We all knew his great potential,” he told Chess.com when asked whether they were surprised by his meteoric rise.
“But even the most talented players can stagnate. That never happened with Yagiz. With the right planning and support, everything progressed smoothly.”
Gurcan also noted how the teenager recently has started taking physical preparation more seriously: “He wakes up at 6:30 every morning to exercise and has made major improvements in his fitness. It shows what a true champion he is.”
He wakes up at 6:30 every morning to exercise and has made major improvements in his fitness. It shows what a true champion he is.
—Selim Gurcan on Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus
The rise of Erdogmus has also drawn praise from GM Magnus Carlsen, who described Erdogmus as “the best 14-year-old the world has ever seen” after their meeting at the 2025 World Rapid Championship last December.
The two will soon meet again. The TePe Sigeman Chess takes place from May 1-7 in Malmo, Sweden, and is bound to excite fans with the first classical encounter between Carlsen and Erdogmus. It will be another major test for the Turkish prodigy, who already proved himself at the highest level by scoring 7/13 in the Tata Steel Chess 2026.
In Sweden, Erdogmus will also face GMs Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi, Jorden van Foreest, Nils Grandelius, Andy Woodward, and Zhu Jiner.
Invitations to more top events are already arriving, and Erdogmus’ breakthrough into 2700 is likely just the beginning of something bigger.