TSF President Gülkız Tulay: “We are happy to raise Turkish stars of the world”
Young national athlete IM (International Master) Ediz Gürel is on his way to becoming a GM (Grandmaster) in the 2023 European Individual Chess Championship. IM Ediz Gürel, who showed an impressive performance in the ongoing 2023 European Individual Chess Championship in Serbia, secured the second GM norm with 6 points at the end of 8 rounds. If IM Ediz Gürel gets the 3rd GM norm in the upcoming tournaments, he will become Turkey’s 14th and youngest GM. If Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş, who is the youngest IM title in the world competing in the same tournament, continues his performance in 8 rounds, he will have taken an important step towards becoming the youngest GM in the world.
Stating that they are proud of the performance of young national chess players in the European Individual Chess Championship, Turkish Chess Federation President Gülkız Tulay said, “Our young national teams and athletes are running from success to success in the World and European Championships. We return with medals, cups and degrees from every championship we participate in. We have strengthened our infrastructure in recent years. Currently, 33 athletes are competing on behalf of Turkey in the European Individual Chess Championship. We are happy to train the world’s Turkish star athletes in chess. I congratulate IM Ediz Gürel, who received the GM norm in the championship. On the other hand, our eyes and ears are on IM Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş. Yağız is on his way to becoming the youngest GM in the world. I heartily congratulate all our athletes who competed in the championship.” used the phrases.
“I worked harder than ever”
Saying, “Chess is a long road and I am not halfway there yet, but my goal is to take firm steps forward”, IM Ediz Gürel expressed his feelings for the success of the GM norm as follows: “Before coming to the European Individual Championship, I tried to devote more time to my chess studies than usual. Since the LGS exam is approaching, scheduling is a little more difficult for me this year. I’m trying to do my best. Before coming here, my goal was to make a good tournament. The tournament is not over yet, I continue with the same feeling. I was very happy to get my 2nd GM norm in the 8th round of the tournament. However, I am not considered to have succeeded in this alone, the teachers I take lessons from, and my family, who always dismissed me, have also contributed a lot. The tournament continues, I will strive with the same motivation. My goal is to be a successful, gentleman Turkish athlete. Thank you to everyone who supported and congratulated me.”
497 athletes make moves in European Individual
In the 2023 European Individual Chess Championship held in the Serbian town of Vrnjacka Banja, a total of 497 players make moves, of which 379 are titled (128 GM, 4 WGM, 105 IM, 6 WIM, 108 FM, 9 WFM, 18 CM and 1 WCM). 33 athletes compete on behalf of Turkey in the championship. 23 players who ranked in the 2023 European Individual Chess Championship will qualify for the 2023 World Cup.
The title of GM is the highest rank a chess player can achieve. While the number of grandmasters in Turkey was 5 until 2012, the number of grandmasters reached 13 during the period of Gülkız Tulay, the President of the Turkish Chess Federation.
Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency
