Ethan Vaz, the youngest International Master in Chess, received a grand welcome at Dabolim airport after arriving from Budapest on Monday. The chess sensation received a warm welcome at Dabolim airport after arriving from Budapest on Monday, where he secured his final IM-norm by drawing against GM Valeriy Neverov on January 3rd.
“I feel great that I was able to achieve this title at the age of 12. I spend nearly five to six hours on this daily,” shared an elated Ethan about his accomplishment.
Ethan’s father, Edwin Vaz, expressed mixed emotions about returning home after his son's prestigious achievement. “Emotionally we are very excited, spiritually feeling blessed, physically tired, and financially we are broke,” he joked. Despite the challenges, he expressed immense pride in his son’s dedication and hard work.
Edwin Vaz has reached out to the corporate sector and the government, appealing for sponsorship to support Ethan's aspirations. “For a player like Ethan to have worked so hard and come to this level and achieved so much at a young age, it would be very grateful if the government or corporates sponsor Ethan,” he said.
Ethan completed the prerequisites for the International Master title at the ‘Vezerkepzo GM Christmas 2023 round-robin tournament in Budapest, Hungary. His achievement marks a significant milestone in his chess journey, and the title will be officially conferred by FIDE in the upcoming Council Meeting.
The young FIDE Master achieved his 1st IM Norm at the ‘29th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival – Masters’ in August 2023 and secured his 2nd IM Norm at the ‘Vezerkepzo GM November 2023’ tournament in Hungary.
Currently ranked as the World No. 2 in the Under-12 Open category, Ethan is among the few players in this category to surpass a FIDE rating of 2400 Elo, a crucial prerequisite for the IM title. Born on September 3, 2011, Ethan is just three months younger than the other player, Erdogmus Yagiz Kaan from Turkey. With his eyes set on becoming the youngest grandmaster, Ethan Vaz’s remarkable journey continues to captivate the chess world.
Ethan’s goal is to become a Grandmaster and then build up his strength further to become a Super GM, and his dream is to become the World Champion.