Better than Magnus at 14? The Meteoric Rise of Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus

In February 2026, the chess world has a new name etched into the record books: Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus. At just 14 years old, the Turkish phenom has continued his meteoric rise, breaking into the upper tier of the FIDE Open Top 100 and cementing his status as the most promising prodigy of the current decade.

Here is a look at his latest milestones and why his current trajectory is making even world champions take notice.

The milestone: 2669 and elite company

According to the February 2026 FIDE rating list, Erdogmus has climbed to a classical rating of 2669, placing him around World No. 46–50 among all players. This achievement caps an extraordinary run in late 2025, including a strong match against Maxime Vachier‑Lagrave and a breakthrough performance at Tata Steel Masters 2026 in Wijk aan Zee.

At Wijk aan Zee, he made his debut in the prestigious Masters group, becoming one of the youngest players ever to compete in that category. He didn’t just participate; he impressed, including a spectacular attacking win over Vladimir Fedoseev, where he finished with a full‑board mating attack that quickly went viral in the chess world.

Why it’s significant

Erdogmus’ rise is historic because of the legends he is already being measured against.

• Surpassing classic prodigy benchmarks: In 2024 he became the youngest grandmaster in the world when he earned his title at just under 13 years old, and he has since become the highest‑rated player of his age in chess history. His peak numbers as a young teen now surpass what many greats, including Magnus Carlsen, had achieved at a comparable age.

• The Carlsen comparison: After facing Erdogmus at the World Rapid Championship late last year, Magnus Carlsen described him as “the best 14‑year‑old the world has ever seen” and predicted that “we are going to hear a lot about him in the future.” With a standard rating of 2669 at 14.67 years, Erdogmus is more than 60 points ahead of the next-best player at the same age.

• A true “rising star” trajectory: Over just a few years he has gained hundreds of rating points, transforming from a promising junior into a fully fledged world‑class grandmaster. His sharp tactical style and fearless opening preparation, highlighted in games against strong young peers such as Aditya Mittal, have already given him a reputation for high‑level creativity and fighting chess.

The records in sight

Erdogmus is no longer just a junior to watch; he is already a serious contender in the open field. With his live rating hovering close to 2700 after Tata Steel, projections show that he has more than a year to try to break the record for the youngest player ever to cross the 2700 “Super‑GM” barrier.

That mark is currently held by Chinese grandmaster Wei Yi, whose record has stood as one of the defining milestones of the modern prodigy era. If Erdogmus continues at anything like his current pace, he will have a real shot at rewriting that chapter of chess history as well.

The new vanguard

When he earned his GM title in 2024, Erdogmus became the youngest grandmaster in the world, and he remains one of the very youngest GMs competing at the highest level today. Now, with a 2600‑plus rating, a successful debut in one of the world’s toughest super‑tournaments, and endorsements from legends like Carlsen, he has moved from “future star” to clear member of the game’s new vanguard.

For followers of Canadian chess and the global game alike, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus represents what the next generation of elite chess can look like: technically sound, ruthlessly ambitious, and unafraid of the very best. He isn’t just the future of chess—he is very much the present.