Carlsen reveals most impressive player in FIDE Grand Swiss and it’s not an Indian: ‘Really good, at almost unprecedented levels…’

The fourth edition of the FIDE Grand Swiss is underway in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where Iranian GM Parham Maghsoodloo is currently leading the standings in the ‘Open’ section, with India’s Arjun Erigaisi in joint-second. The tournament has also witnessed reigning world champion D Gukesh hit a roadblock with back-to-back defeats after a positive start to his campaign.

World No 1 and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen is among those watching the events at Samarkand from a distance.

And when asked about the individual that has impressed him the most out of the 172 players in action in the tournament, including 116 in the ‘Open’ Category, the 34-year-old Norwegian GM named 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus as his pick.

“Erdogmus is really, really good, at almost unprecedented levels at that age. So, he’s clearly impressed me the most from the young, non-established players,” Carlsen said in a chat with Chess24.

How Turkish prodigy Erdogmus has fared so far in Samarkand

Turkish GM Erdogmus is currently joint-third in the standings along with 14 others – including established names such as home favourite Nodirbek Abdusattorov as well as Alireza Firouzja, Vincent Keymer as well as India’s Vidit Gujrathi – who had won the previous edition in 2023 ahead of Hikaru Nakamura.

Erdogmus has collected four points so far with a couple of victories and four draws – including against reigning world champion D Gukesh as well as Nodirbek. The teenager faces American GM Hans Niemann in the seventh round, which takes place on Thursday with Wednesday being observed as a ‘Rest Day’ in the tournament.

Erdogmus had become the fourth-youngest Grandmaster of all time at the Grenke Chess Open and Classic in April last year. He would later go on to break legendary Hungarian GM Judit Polgar’s 35-year-old record of the highest-rated player under the age of 13 the following month.

The 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss concludes on Monday, 15 September, with the top-two players from the ‘Open’ and ‘Women’ sections qualifying for next year’s Candidates in their respective categories.