At the London Chess Classic, India’s R Praggnanandhaa has crossed the Elo rating of 2600 at the age of 14 years, three months and 26 days. In the process, he has become the youngest Indian ever to cross 2600 and the second youngest in the world.
Praggnanandhaa, who is also India’s second-youngest Grandmaster, broke Nihal Sarin’s record (he was 14 years and 10 months at the time) of the youngest Indian to cross 2600.
The youngest to ever reach the 2600-rating mark is USA’s John Burke who rose to 2601 in September 2015 when he was 14 years and two months old.
The reigning World Youth champion (Under-18) is participating in the open category of the London Chess Classic which began on November 29 and he went past the 2600 Elo rating mark when he won his seventh-round game against GM Jules Moussard (2600) to move to 2602.
After Round 7, Praggnanandhaa leads with 6.5 points and India’s Aravindh Chithambaram is in second place with 6 points. They play each other in Round 8.