India’s Pranesh M Becomes Youngest Grandmaster at 16

January 6, 2023

India has gained its 79th Grandmaster with the title being awarded to 16-year-old Pranesh M from Tamil Nadu. Pranesh achieved the required 2500 ELO rating and won the Rilton Cup in the final round of the competition, which featured 136 players representing 29 national federations. Pranesh finished in first place, while his compatriot and fellow Grandmaster, R Raja Rithvik, finished in eighth place with six points.

Pranesh’s Road to Grandmaster Status

Pranesh won his first norm at the 18th Delhi GM Open in January 2020 and his second norm at the Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival in Spain in December 2021. In November 2022, he won his third norm at the Asian Continental Chess Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, finally achieving the required ELO rating to become a Grandmaster.

Reactions to Pranesh’s Accomplishment

Pranesh received praise on social media for his achievement, including a special mention from India’s first Grandmaster and five-time World Champion, Viswanathan Anand, who tweeted, “Congratulations to GM Pranesh on an excellent performance. He won with an incredible score. We have added three grandmasters in quick succession…” Pranesh’s coach, RB Ramesh, also praised him, stating, “Pranesh is a very practical player. Hard working, raw talent… his openings are not that good but his middle-game and end-game skills are quite good.”

FIDE Circuit Leader

With 6.8 circuit points, Pranesh is currently the leader of the FIDE Circuit. Qualification for the 2024 FIDE Candidates is determined by the accumulation of the most points by the end of the year.

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