The Bright Future of Chess: Top 5 Chess Prodigies to Watch in 2026
ChessKids, did you make any New Year's resolutions? If one of your goals is to improve at chess, a great strategy is watching and studying the moves of strong players. And who better to learn from than your fellow ChessKid rising stars!What is a rising chess star?
A rising chess star is a young player who improves faster than most kids their age. You might notice them climbing the rating ladder quickly, doing well in tough tournaments, and even beating titled players. When those things start happening, people in the chess world begin to pay attention!
Let's take a look at five young chess prodigies worth watching in 2026.
WIM Bodhana Sivanandan
Age:
10 (birthdate is March 7, 2015)
Federation:
England
Elo:
2185
Background And Achievements:
Bodhana is an Under 8 champion who set many records in a very short time. She was the first World Youth champion from England in over two decades, got her first WIM norm at just nine, and was the 'triple crown' holder in the Under 8 category, meaning she had placed first in classical, rapid, and blitz time controls.
At the same time, Bodhana has appeared on ChessKid shows like Kids vs. Stars, where she and her teammate were able to prevail 4.5-1.5 against WGM Nemo Zhou and WIM Anna-Maja Kazarian. She has also appeared at London's ChessFest, playing against all who challenge her, and even played in a ChessKid Transatlantic match, where she and a teammate fought off against two strong players from the United States and Canada. (Yes, Bodhana won!)
Bodhana at London's ChessFest playing a simultaneous exhibition!
FM Megan Paragua
Age:
13 (birthdate is December 10, 2012)
Federation:
United States
Elo:
2222
Background And Achievements:
Megan, currently the fifth highest rated female player in the world under 13, is an up-and-coming talent in the chess world. Earlier this year, she was able to cross the 2300 FIDE rating barrier, making her one of the youngest FIDE Masters in the United States. She also is on the Columbia Grammar School chess team, containing a strong roster of young talents. They placed first at SuperNationals 2025, in large part from Megan's strong performance against players across the country.
As a 6th grader, Megan competes in the high school section at SuperNationals 2025.
Megan has also recently been featured in Kids vs. Stars, where she and FM Rose Atwell defeated WGM Nemo Zhou and WFM Anna Cramling.
Check out Megan's performance on Kids vs. Stars!
GM Andy Woodward
Age:
15 (birthdate is May 2, 2010)
Federation:
United States
Elo:
2608
Background And Achievements:
Andy is one of the strongest young players in the world today, and he started learning right here on ChessKid back in 2018. In just a few years after learning the game, Andy crossed FIDE Master. Then, in just a year, he reached International Master. And just last year, Andy met the norm and rating requirements for Grandmaster, making him the second youngest U.S. Grandmaster in history.
Andy is no stranger to ChessKid events, either. He played in a Kids vs. Stars match and the 2024 ChessKid Youth Championships. He also won Chess.com's 2025 Puzzles World Championship, dethroning the long-standing winner of the event, GM Ray Robson.
The moment Andy won the 2025 Puzzles World Championship!
GM Yagiz Erdogmus
Age:
14 (birthdate is June 3, 2011)
Federation:
Turkey
Elo:
2658
Background And Achievements:
Yagiz got his start playing chess at age six, and quickly became a force to be reckoned with. He ended with a perfect score in the Under 8 section of the European Chess Championship, and became the youngest International Master in Turkey's history at just 11. He then went on to become the youngest Grandmaster in the world, and the highest rated 12 year old ever.
Yagiz contemplates his next move. (Photo: Sharjah Chess Club)
He also made ChessKid history as the 2022 Youth Speed Chess Champion, and as the only back-to-back winner of both the Under 13 and Under 16 sections of the 2024 ChessKid Youth Championships. Yagiz was also named Chess.com's 2025 Rising Star of the Year!
Watch Yagiz' impressive gameplay!
IM Fausti Oro
Age:
12 (birthdate is October 14, 2013)
Federation:
Argentina
Elo:
2516
Background And Achievements:
Fausti is a young chess prodigy that makes headlines every year. He was the youngest player ever to reach a rating of 2300 FIDE, and the youngest to ever score an IM norm at just nine years old, and is one of the youngest to become an International Master at age 10. He has defeated the likes of Super-GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen in blitz, and also being the youngest ever 3000+ blitz rated player on Chess.com.
Fausti playing over-the-board chess in 2024.
Back in 2021, Fausti began streaming on ChessKid with WIM Ivette Garcia, and since then has appeared in multiple ChessKid events such as the Youth Speed Chess Championship and Stars vs. Streamers, where he defeated IM Levy Rozman (GothamChess).
Check out Fausti playing against some strong competition!
These young players are already shaping the game. What does 2026 hold for this next generation of chess talents? We'll be watching closely!