A 17-year-old competitor secured the British Chess Championship title eight years after his family nearly faced removal from the United Kingdom. He overcame several leading English players at the University of Warwick in Coventry to become the youngest champion. The player finished ahead of grandmasters such as Luke McShane and nine-time titleholder Michael Adams. He remained undefeated across the 107-participant event and delivered consistent strong results. A notable win occurred in round seven against McShane. In the final round he beat 2022 champion Harry Grieve with a two-queen checkmate. The success adds to his quick ascent in British chess. He earned the United Kingdom’s youngest grandmaster title in 2024. His family relocated from India when he was three. In 2018 his father’s work visa renewal was threatened by income thresholds, raising deportation concerns. Officials later allowed the family to stay partly due to the player’s chess ability. Twelve-year-old Supratit Banerjee stayed in title contention until the last round. Eleven-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan captured the women’s title and set an age record. Despite the victory the new champion was not chosen for England’s squad at next month’s World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand because his rating at the selection deadline fell short. Grandmaster Daniel Fernandez earned the fifth spot after winning an event in the Netherlands. The achievement arrives ahead of the Sinquefield Cup in St Louis and the Esports World Cup in Paris, two overlapping major events that have created scheduling tensions among top players.
