Goa’s Grandmaster-elect Ethan Vaz concluded a stellar European tour with a third-place finish in the Masters category of the Serbia Open 2026 held in Belgrade.
The 14-year-old chess prodigy, who recently secured his final Grandmaster norm in Bosnia, remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, registering five victories and four draws against a formidable field of titled players.
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Ethan’s impressive campaign included games against one Grandmaster and five International Masters. A draw in the final round against tournament leader International Master Aswath S denied him the championship title, but his overall performance saw him finish ahead of all 14 Grandmasters competing in the event.
The remarkable result caps off an outstanding European tour for the young Goan, who is now set to become Goa’s third Grandmaster and India’s youngest Grandmaster after completing the formal FIDE title approval process.
Ethan now returns to Goa following a breakthrough international campaign that has further established him as one of India’s brightest emerging chess talents.
