English Schoolboy Becomes Youngest Person in the World to Attain FIDE Rating of 2200

[John Upham]

English Schoolboy Becomes Youngest Person in the World to Attain FIDE Rating of 2200

In an extraordinary display of talent and determination, nine-year-old Ethan Pang has made history by becoming the youngest person in the world to achieve a FIDE chess rating of 2200. This feat, accomplished during a chess tournament in Newmarket, has earned him the prestigious title of Candidate Master (CM).

Ethan's journey to chess mastery began at the tender age of five during the COVID-19 lockdown. Like many other children forced to stay at home, he sought ways to entertain himself. He started playing chess and watching videos online and quickly developed a passion for the game. Recognising Ethan's burgeoning talent, an extremely supportive chess coach at his school encouraged him to pursue the game more seriously.

From playing chess in the afterschool chess club, Ethan began participating in local over-the-board chess tournaments in London. His natural aptitude for chess quickly became apparent, and by the age of seven, Ethan was fortunate enough to be selected to represent England at the European Youth Chess Championship 2022. The following year, he also competed at the FIDE World Cadet Championships 2023 in Egypt.

Ethan’s father, Raymond Pang says, “We’re really proud of Ethan and will continue to be his biggest supporters for as long as he wants to play.”

Ethan's ascent to a FIDE rating of 2200 was sealed when he drew against an International Master (IM) in Newmarket. This achievement, at just nine years and two months old, makes him the youngest person to achieve this ranking. He is also currently the highest-ranking child in the under 9 age group worldwide.

Ethan's guiding principle is “Never give up!” as inscribed by one of his earlier chess coaches.


About


Ethan Pang is a nine-year-old chess prodigy from London, UK. He started playing chess online at the age of six during the COVID-19 lockdown and quickly developed a passion for the game. With the support of his school chess coach, Ethan began competing in local chess tournaments and soon made a name for himself on the national and international stage. He represented England at the European Youth Chess Championship in 2022 and the FIDE World Cadet Championships in 2023. In June 2024, Ethan became the youngest person in the world to achieve a FIDE chess rating of 2200, earning him the title of Candidate Master (CM). He is currently the highest-ranking player in his age group worldwide.

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[Christopher Kreuzer]

A wide-ranging look at up-and-coming British prospects is part of Leonard Barden's 7 June Guardian column:

Faustino Oro, aged 10 and known as ‘the Messi of chess’, advances again

Argentinian prodigy already has two international master norms and looks set to break more records while England’s pre-teen talents are also making eye-catching progress

Last weekend an English junior did pass 2200, the recognised level for a master, and in the process even captured one of Faustino Oro’s world records. Ethan Pang, nine, is currently England’s fastest improving player, whose Fide rating has jumped more than 550 points in seven months. The Westminster Under School pupil is unbeaten in his last 16 games, and continued his strong run at the East Anglian Open in Newmarket, where he totalled 3/4 before missing the last round due to school homework.

[Leonard Barden]

I actually broke this story more than a week ago on this Forum, three days before my Guardian article.

World record for England junior?


Post by Leonard Barden » Mon Jun 03, 2024 3:08 pm

Ethan Pang, already listed as world No 1 under-10 with 2164 in the June Fide list, gained another 48.4 points at the East Anglian Open at the weekend and should appear in the July list at 2212. His results included a draw in a winning position against IM Alan Merry.

Pang, whose Fide rating has improved more than 550 points in seven months, could even surpass Argentina's Faustino Oro as the all-time youngest 2200 player, depending on how the dates are calculated.

Virtually nobody, certainly not John Upham, took any notice.....

[Joey Stewart]

A remarkable achievement in this age of crippled ratings, and even more remarkable that Ethan managed to almost entirely dodge playing any especially underrated opposition for almost a year straight - usually an active tournament player is going to be blighted by games against the 1600-1700s who try their luck in the open and are a real nightmare for anyone looking to actively improve their grade but looking at the rating profile there's pretty much none of that sort of thing.

[John Foley]

He is scheduled to play at the Kingston Invitational in mid-August, alongside several other promising juniors and some more seasoned players. One day, people may look back and say "the carefully crafted Kingston event marked the revival of English chess fortunes".

[Nick Burrows]

One day, people may look back and say "the carefully crafted Kingston event marked the revival of English chess fortunes".

One day, people may look back and say "the carefully crafted Kingston event marked the revival of English chess fortunes were the words of John Foley - before the event"

[Jonathan Rogers]

The question very many of us are surely asking, whether we currently have much to do with the world of junior chess or (as in my case) not, is "why now? All of this, so many record breakers under the age of 12, we are in danger of losing count and forgetting some of them! Why now"?

Of course CSC has helped but I have the impression that most of this young generation of stars do not come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Better coaching, whether by ECF or privately? Perhaps, but it has been easy to access private coaching for some time now and anyway so much is available for free online - any young person, anywhere, who is computer savvy and has time and internet access has the potential to excel.

So why here, and why now?

[Roger de Coverly]

So why here, and why now?

Most of his games have been in Weekend Opens. The proliferation of such events, one almost every weekend is something of an English speciality, not replicated to quite the same extent in other parts of the world.

[John Upham]

Most of his games have been in Weekend Opens. The proliferation of such events, one almost every weekend is something of an English speciality, not replicated to quite the same extent in other parts of the world.

Have we reached a point in time when the return of something akin to the Cutty Sark* Grand Prix would be welcome?

*Other sponsors are available.

[Derek Sinclair]

good luck to the boy

[John Upham]

There is more....

Well, not much more. Just a photo of his back.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/l ... r-BB1o4wdb

[LawrenceCooper]

He has now reached/passed 2300: https://chess-results.com/tnr1040551.as ... g=30&snr=5

[Leonard Barden]

From the current Guardian article:

Ethan Pang, nine, who earlier this year became the youngest ever 2200-rated player and who last month beat three grandmasters in a single tournament, reached a landmark 2300 live rating on Thursday when he led the ongoing Vezerkepzo IM tournament in Budapest with an unbeaten 4/6.

If Pang is still above 2300 at the end of the tournament, he would break the Argentinian prodigy and “chess Messi” Faustino Oro’s age record as the youngest published 2300 player, although Oro would be younger in terms of when the record was set.

Pang lost in Friday morning’s seventh round, but can still regain 2300 with a good performance in his final three games this weekend. His games are available in play-through format at chess-results.com

[MJMcCready]

Sounds like we have another GM coming through the ranks.