Chess: Goa’s 14-year-old boy becomes India’s 67th GM
January 3, 2021
Goa’s 14-year-old Leon Mendonca has become India’s 67th chess Grand Master (GM) by winning the third and final norm at a tournament in Italy.
Mendonca, who achieved the feat at 14 years, 9 months and 17 days, is the second GM from the Coastal State.
The player achieved his first GM norm at the Rigo Chess GM Round Robin in October, while the second came at the 1st Saturday event in Budapest in November and the final one at the Vergani Cup in Italy. At the Vergani Cup in Bassano del Grappa, he finished second with 6.5 points behind Ukraine’s Vitaliy Bernadskiy (7 points).
14-year-old Leon Mendonca is India s 67th chess Grandmaster
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Snow, Rambo and everything in between: Leon Mendonca is India s 67th GM
Leon Mendonca is the 67th Grandmaster from India.
Lyndon Mendonca
Leon Mendonca s first wish as Grandmaster was to stomp on snow. The 14 year-old who became India s 67th Grandmaster in the northern Italian town of Bassano del Grappa late on Wednesday, spent the closing hours of his day rolling snowballs in the freezing outdoors and watching John Rambo spill blood on Netflix. Before the final game, there was a lot of anxiety and pressure, but I tried to play as coolly as possible. I was, of course, very excited that I could become GM, Leon told ESPN, But once I won the game, I actually didn t feel anything special. He is only the second GM from his home state, Goa.
Chess: Goa s 14-year-old Leon Mendonca becomes India s 67th Grandmaster
Mendonca, who achieved the feat at 14 years, 9 months and 17 days, is the second GM from the coastal state. Updated Dec 31, 2020 · 03:24 pm File photo of Leon Mendoca | John Saunders/GibChess
Goa’s 14-year-old Leon Mendonca has become India’s 67th chess Grandmaster by winning the third and final norm at a tournament in Italy.
Mendonca, who achieved the feat at 14 years, 9 months and 17 days, is the second GM from the coastal state.
Congrats Leon for becoming the 67 th Grandmaster. An inspiration for aspiring Grandmasters. I am so proud of your commitment and focus. Just amazing how your family and yourself stayed behind in Europe during the pandemic chasing the GM title! Enjoy the achievement! Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) December 31, 2020
Leon Mendonca becomes India s 67th chess Grandmaster
By IANS |
Published on
Fri, Jan 1 2021 0:06 IST |
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Leon Mendonca. (Photo Credit : AICF). Image Source: IANS News
New Delhi, Jan 1 : Leon Mendonca on Thursday became India s 67th Grandmaster (GM), achieving his third GM in three months. Mendonca, 14, was stranded in Europe with his father in March due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, played 16 tournaments in three months, this improving his Elo rating by 140 points.
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) acknowledged the development. Leon is the second Indian to become GM this year after G. Akash.
He achieved his first GM norm at the Rigo Chess GM Round Robin in October while the second came at the first Saturday in Budapest in November. His final GM norm came at the Vergani Cup in Italy that ended on December 30.
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