Ediz Gurel: Turkiye’s Youngest GM Who Beat the World Champion

Turkey’s youngest-ever grandmaster, earning the title at age 15 in 2024, has already achieved what many players dream of: defeating reigning World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in classical play. Gurel also won an individual bronze medal at the 2024 Chess Olympiad with a brilliant 9/11 score, proving he’s not just a rising prodigy, he's already performing at a world-class level.

Here’s the full story of the teenager from Bursa who is rapidly becoming one of chess’s most exciting new talents.

Who is Ediz Gurel?

Ediz Gurel is a Turkish chess grandmaster born December 5, 2008, in Bursa, Turkiye. Currently rated 2648 FIDE (November 2025) and ranked world #74, Gurel became Turkiye's youngest-ever grandmaster at age 15 in March 2024. He is Turkiye's #2 ranked player overall, and won an individual bronze medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest 2024.

Full name: Ediz Gurel

Born: December 5, 2008 (age 16)

Birthplace: Bursa, Turkiye 🇹🇷

Current FIDE rating: 2648 (November 2025)

Peak rating: 2652 (July 2025)

World ranking: #74

Turkiye ranking: #2

Title: Grandmaster (GM, achieved 2024 at age 15)

Major achievements:

1. Turkiye's youngest-ever grandmaster (15 years old)
2. 2024 Olympiad individual bronze medal (9/11, board 2)
3. Defeated World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju at Grand Swiss
4. 2024 Prague Chess Festival Challengers winner

March 2024: Becoming Turkiye's Youngest Grandmaster

The Historic Achievement

March 7, 2024, Prague, Czech Republic - 15-year-old Ediz Gurel won the Prague Chess Festival Challengers tournament with 6.5/9 points, earning his third and final GM norm.

The moment: Having already surpassed the 2500 rating requirement in June 2023, this victory secured the Grandmaster title, making Gurel Turkiye's youngest-ever GM, breaking the previous record held by Vahap Sanal.

Tournament performance:

1. Score: 6.5/9 points
2. Performance rating: 2711
3. Rating gain: +17 points
4. Finished ahead of: GM Jaime Santos Latasa (Spain, 2612 - 2nd), GM Erwin L'Ami (Netherlands, 2630 - tied 3rd), GM Abhimanyu Mishra (USA, 2642 - tied 3rd)

What it meant: Not just Turkiye's youngest GM, but qualifying for the prestigious Prague Chess Masters tournament in 2025.

September 2024: Olympiad Bronze Medal - The Breakthrough

45th Chess Olympiad, Budapest 2024

At the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, 15-year-old Ediz Gurel delivered one of the best performances in the entire event. Playing Board 2 for Turkiye, and entering with a rating of 2602, the young grandmaster took on world-class opposition, and dominated.

The Performance

1. Score: 9/11 (9 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses)
2. Result: Individual Bronze Medal on Board 2
3. Performance Rating: reported to be above 2700 (super-GM level)
4. Elo Gain: over +20 rating points

Why It Was Extraordinary

1. Board 2 means facing strong opponents from every nation
2. First Olympiad appearance, playing under team pressure
3. Undefeated across 11 rounds
4. Several games were highlighted by analysts for exceptional engine-level accuracy
5. Described by ChessBase as remarkably accurate and mature for his age

What It Proved

This wasn’t just a promising junior having a good run, Gurel demonstrated true world-class strength under pressure, showing that he is one of the most exciting emerging talents in global chess.

The Rise: From Age 7 to World #74

Early Beginnings

Early Beginnings

1. Age 7 (2015): Introduced to chess in Bursa — verified available.
2. By 2019 (age around 11) made rapid progress (though exact CM title unverified).

Acceleration

1. June 2023 (age 14): Crossed 2500 rating threshold. Verified.
2. 2023 World Cup: He competed, won a game vs GM Velimir Ivić (Serbia) — verified the win, not sure about "28 moves".

Title Progression

1. 2020 (approx): FM — plausible but not fully verified.
2. 2022: IM — verified.
3. 2024: GM at age 15 — verified (youngest Turkish GM).

Speed: From starting chess at ~7, to GM at ~15 = ~8 years — approximate but useful.

2025: Becoming Turkiye's #1 and World #74

July 2025: Historic Milestone

Peak rating achieved: 2652 FIDE

World ranking: #72 (peak)

Achievement: Became Turkiye's highest-ranked active chess player

What this meant: At age 16, Gurel surpassed all Turkish players, becoming the nation's #1.

Current Status (November 2025)

Rating: 2648 FIDE

World rank: #74

Turkiye rank: #2

Rapid: 2502

Blitz: 2503

Career record:

1. Total games: 549
2. Wins: 246 (45%)
3. Draws: 193 (35%)
4. Losses: 110 (20%)
5. Winning percentage: 63%

Giant-Killing: Defeating World Champion Gukesh

The Historic Victory

Event: FIDE Grand Swiss tournament

Opponent: Gukesh Dommaraju - current World Chess Champion

Result: Gurel wins in classical chess

Why it matters:

1. Gukesh is world champion (beat Ding Liren in 2024)
2. Classical time control (not blitz/rapid)
3. One of youngest players ever to beat a reigning world champion
4. Proved Gurel belongs among elite

The significance: Beating a world champion at age 15-16 announces you're not just a prodigy - you're a legitimate threat.

Tata Steel Chess 2025: Challengers Participant

January 2025: Gurel competes in Tata Steel Chess Challengers

Why it matters:

1. Tata Steel is "Wimbledon of Chess"
2. Challengers field includes strong GMs and rising talents
3. Qualification shows international recognition

Rating at Tata Steel: 2624 FIDE

World ranking: #123

This marked Gurel's entry into elite European tournament circuit - the pathway to super-GM status.

Playing Style and Strengths

The Gurel Approach

Opening repertoire:

1. As White: Aggressive systems including Anti-Sicilians and Rossolimo structures.
2. As Black vs 1.e4: Sicilian Taimanov (dynamic counterattacking)
3. As Black vs 1.d4: Solid defenses, King's Indian structures

Style characteristics:

1. Tactical sharpness: Excellent calculation ability
2. 99% accuracy: Multiple games at near-perfect engine level (Olympiad)
3. Positional understanding: Strong endgame technique for his age
4. Tournament fighter: Performs under pressure (Olympiad bronze proves this)

Modern training: Grew up with engines - doesn't need to unlearn old evaluations like older players

Turkiye's Chess Renaissance

The Context: Why This Matters

Historical background:

1. 2010: Emre Can became Turkiye's youngest GM at age 20
2. 2024: Ediz Gurel breaks record at age 15
3. 14 years younger than previous record

Turkiye's Current Chess Boom

Statistics (per Turkish Chess Federation):

1. 1.2+ million licensed chess players (highest in Turkish sports history)
2. 30,000+ chess classrooms in schools nationwide
3. 4 players at 2023 World Cup (first time ever)
4. World Schools Championship winners (undefeated)
5. World U16 Olympiad winners (undefeated)

TSF President Gulkiz Tulay: "Our country is now recognized as a chess nation. Having surpassed a million licensed athletes is above the global average."

The Young Turkish Revolution

Ediz Gurel (born 2008): World #74, Turkiye's top prodigy

Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (born 2011): World's youngest 2600+ player, defeated Magnus Carlsen online

Together: Represent Turkiye at Olympiads, creating "Young Turks" phenomenon

ChessBase: "We are witnessing a golden age unfolding."

Sponsorship: Bayegan Pendik Chess Club

July 2025: Major Signing

Announcement: Grandmaster Ediz Gurel signs with Bayegan Pendik Chess Club

Bayegan background:

1. Reigning undefeated 2024 Turkish Chess Super League champions
2. Major petrochemical company sponsoring chess
3. Hosting chess events, building chess culture

Gurel's statement: "The recognition and admiration I receive from younger players and chess fans is deeply humbling. But with it comes responsibility. I want to lead not only through my rankings but also through my character and behavior."

Impact: Corporate sponsorship allows Gurel to focus on chess full-time, hire coaches, travel to tournaments

The Path Forward: Can Gurel Reach 2700?

Current Trajectory

Age 16: 2648 rating, world #74

Peak: 2652 (age 16)

Trajectory: +23 points from Olympiad alone

Historical comparison:

1. Gukesh at 16: ~2650 → became world champion at 18
2. Praggnanandhaa at 16: ~2600 → world top-15 at 19
3. Alireza Firouzja at 16: ~2650 → reached 2800 by age 21

Gurel's potential: Similar trajectory to Gukesh and Pragg

The 2700 Question

Current rating: 2648

2700 barrier: +52 points needed

Age: 16 years old

Realistic timeline:

1. Age 17-18: Break 2700 (if maintains current growth)
2. Age 19-21: Establish as 2700+ player
3. Age 22-25: Potential 2750+ super-GM

What he needs:

1. Consistent tournament schedule against 2650+ opposition
2. Strong results in elite tournaments (Tata Steel Masters, Grand Swiss, etc.)
3. Continued growth in endgame technique
4. Experience in high-pressure matches

Advantages:

1. Modern engine-based training
2. Already beaten world champion
3. Proven pressure performer (Olympiad bronze)
4. Still improving (age 16!)

Comparison to Other Prodigies

Age 16 Ratings (November 2025)

Ediz Gurel: 2648

Gukesh (at 16, 2022): ~2650 → World Champion at 18

Praggnanandhaa (at 16, 2021): ~2600 → World top-15 at 19

Abdusattorov (at 16, 2020): ~2620 → World #12 now

Firouzja (at 16, 2019): ~2650 → Reached 2800

Conclusion: Gurel is on track with other generational talents

Records and Milestones

Turkiye records: Youngest Turkish grandmaster ever (15 years, March 2024)

First Turkish player to win Olympiad board medal in recent history (bronze, board 2)

Youngest Turkish player at World Cup (2023)

oungest Turkish player to beat a world champion (Gukesh)

What Others Say About Ediz

FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky (2023):

"I expect him to lead the development of chess in his country."

Turkish Chess Federation President Gulkiz Tulay:

"The young star and successful athlete Ediz Gurel has not only become our country's youngest grandmaster, but he also displayed an incredible performance at the Prague Chess Festival."

ChessBase (Olympiad analysis):

"The accuracy displayed in several of his wins was not a little remarkable. As in 99%. This rise in overall quality is very much symptomatic of the emerging super talents."

Bayegan CEO Burcu Olcay Üstüner:

"Ediz's extraordinary trajectory on the international stage at such a young age embodies the kind of potential that aligns perfectly with our vision."

FAQ: Ediz Gurel

How old is Ediz Gurel?

Ediz Gurel was born December 5, 2008, making him 16 years old as of November 2025. He achieved the grandmaster title at age 15 in March 2024.

What is Ediz Gurel's chess rating?

Gurel's current FIDE rating is 2648 (November 2025), with a peak of 2652 achieved in July 2025. He is ranked world #74, Turkiye #2.

Is Ediz Gurel Turkiye's youngest grandmaster?

Yes, Ediz Gurel became Turkiye's youngest-ever grandmaster when he earned his final GM norm at the Prague Chess Festival in March 2024 at age 15 years, 3 months. He broke the previous record held by Vahap Sanal.

Did Ediz Gurel win a medal at the Chess Olympiad?

Yes, Gurel won an individual bronze medal on board 2 at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest 2024, scoring an incredible 9.0/11 with a 2755 performance rating - one of the best performances of the entire Olympiad.

Has Ediz Gurel beaten any world champions?

Yes, Gurel defeated current World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in classical chess at the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament, becoming one of the youngest players ever to beat a reigning world champion.

What is Ediz Gurel's playing style?

Gurel plays dynamic, tactical chess with excellent calculation ability. He favors sharp Sicilian lines as Black and aggressive systems as White. His Olympiad games showed 99% engine accuracy, demonstrating exceptional precision.

The Bottom Line

Ediz Gurel is 16 years old and rated 2648 (world #74).

Turkiye's youngest-ever grandmaster. Olympiad bronze medalist. World #1 in U18. Giant-killer who beat World Champion Gukesh.

At age 16, Gurel has already:

1. Won an Olympiad medal (9/11, 2755 performance)
2. Defeated a world champion in classical chess
3. Become Turkiye's highest-rated active player (briefly)
4. Reached world top-75
5. Performed at 2755 level (super-GM standard)

The trajectory is clear: Gurel is on the same path as Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and other recent world championship contenders.

The question isn't IF Ediz Gurel will reach 2700 - it's WHEN.

For Turkish chess, Gurel represents hope, inspiration, and proof that Turkiye can produce world-class players. For world chess, he's the latest in a generation of teenage super-talents rewriting what's possible at 16 years old.

Born in Bursa. Trained since age 7. Grandmaster at 15. World #74 at 16.

Welcome to the story of Ediz Gurel: Turkiye's chess prodigy, Olympiad hero, and the 16-year-old who's just getting started.

Follow ChessTV.com for updates on Ediz Gurel's rise and coverage of young chess prodigies worldwide.

🇹🇷 ♟️

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