PANAJI
Goa's chess prodigy Ethan Vaz fulfilled all the requirements for the Grandmaster (GM) title by securing his third and final GM norm at the Chess Summer in Sarajevo – GM Mix Tournament, organised by SK "Slavija" Istocno Sarajevo as part of Chess Festival 2026.
With this achievement, Ethan becomes Goa's third Grandmaster and India's 96th Grandmaster, subject to official ratification by FIDE at its next Council meeting.
The 14-year-old completed the title requirements at the age of 14 years, 9 months and 27 days, making him one of India's youngest Grandmasters. He is also set to become the 40th-youngest Grandmaster in the world. Ethan narrowly follows fellow Goan Grandmaster Leon Luke Mendonca, who earned the title at 14 years, 9 months and 17 days.
The tournament was held at Hotel Beograd, Istocno Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from June 22 to 27. The GM Mix event was the premier tournament of the festival.
Rated 2522, Ethan remained unbeaten throughout the competition. His notable performances included a fourth-round draw against Serbian Grandmaster Andrey Sharivazdanov (2472), a crucial seventh-round victory over Ukrainian Grandmaster Vitaliy Bernadskiy (2511), and a final-round draw against Grandmaster Alexander Kovchan (2444), which secured him the tournament title and the coveted final GM norm.
Ethan's journey towards the Grandmaster title began with his first GM norm at the GM 4 Festival in Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 2025, where he also won the tournament. His second GM norm came at the GM Mix Fantastico Tournament in Senta, Serbia, in January 2026. He had already crossed the mandatory 2500 Elo rating mark required for the award of the Grandmaster title.
Congratulating Ethan on the landmark achievement, Goa Chess Association President Mahesh Candolcar praised the youngster for completing all three norms at such a young age and expressed confidence that he would continue his rise and eventually become a Super Grandmaster, following in the footsteps of fellow Goan Leon Luke Mendonca.
Goa Chess Association Honorary Secretary Ashesh Keni said the entire chess fraternity in the state was thrilled by Ethan's long-awaited achievement. He described the feat as another historic milestone for Goa chess, noting that two of the state's Grandmasters now rank among India's ten youngest-ever GMs.
Keni also expressed hope that Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar would announce substantial financial support for the state's leading chess talents, including Grandmasters Leon Luke Mendonca and Ethan Vaz. He pointed out that several states have rewarded newly crowned Grandmasters with significant incentives and said such recognition would encourage aspiring players.
He credited the success to the dedication and sacrifices of the players, their families, coaches, and the Goa Chess Association's grassroots initiatives, particularly its "Pick Them Young" and Chess-in-Schools programmes, which have helped nurture a new generation of chess talent in the state.
