Mamedyarov, “I want Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus to be the first 2900 player”
Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (born June 3, 2011) is currently at a FIDE classical rating of 2687 (April 2026 list), ranked #38 in the world and #1 in Türkiye. Currently, Erdogmus is playing a rated match vs ex-World Champion Veselin Topalov. Erdogmus already won games (including with Black), pushing his live rating to ~2698 and climbing the live rankings to around #36. Only ~1.8 points separate him from 2700 club. A 4,0-2,0 is a score that will guarantee him the entry there.
Replay Erdogmus – Topalov here
But Erdogmus has much higher goals. His coach Shakhriyar Mamedyarov says, “Even 5% of Yağız Kaan’s chess knowledge isn’t known to people. Yağız is in a state where he can play any opening he wants when he wakes up in the morning. The happiest days of Turkish chess are very soon,” and adds, “I want Yağız to be the first 2900 player. Our goal is this.”
Youngest to cross 2700
The current record for youngest player to reach 2700 is held by Wei Yi (at ~15 years, 8 months). Erdogmus has ample time and momentum to break that if he hits the milestone before turning 15 in June 2026. Other young stars like Gukesh and Carlsen crossed it later in their teens.
Wei Yi – 15 years, ~8–9 months (March 2015)
Alireza Firouzja – 16 years, 1 month, 10–11 days (August 2019)
Gukesh D – 16 years, 1 month, 17 days (July 2022)
Magnus Carlsen – 16 years, ~7 months (July 2007)