Goa's teenage chess sensation and India's youngest International Master, Ethan Vaz, delivered yet another outstanding international performance by securing the 3rd Runner-up position at the prestigious 4th Gujarat International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament (Category A), held in Ahmedabad from June 1 to 8.

The 14-year-old finished ahead of 18 of the 19 Grandmasters in the tournament and emerged as the youngest player among all the major prize winners, further cementing his reputation as one of India's brightest young chess talents.

The tournament attracted a formidable field of 306 players from 19 countries, comprising 125 titled players, including 19 Grandmasters and 30 International Masters.

Competing against some of the strongest players in the field, Ethan remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, scoring 7.5 points from 10 rounds with five wins and five draws. His impressive performance earned him the 3rd Runner-up Trophy along with a cash prize of ₹2 lakh.

Remarkably, Ethan played all ten rounds on the top three boards, battling the tournament leaders round after round and remaining firmly in contention for the title until the very end. Of his ten opponents, nine were titled players, including one Grandmaster and five International Masters, from India, Egypt, Canada, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Israel.

Ethan finished just half a point behind the leaders, with one draw too many preventing an even higher finish. Notably, his 9th-round opponent IM Benny Aizenberg of Israel went on to win the tournament, while his 7th-round opponent IM Quoc Hy Nguyen of Vietnam secured second place. Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta of India finished third.

The achievement comes immediately on the heels of Ethan's spectacular performance at the Commonwealth Chess Championships 2026 in Sri Lanka, where he won three medals while competing in the higher Under-20 category despite being only 14 years old.

While his triple-medal haul at the Commonwealth Championships received widespread attention, Ethan had also impressed in the Open section standings there, challenging several Grandmasters and finishing among the leading contenders. His latest result at the Gujarat International GM Open further demonstrates his growing ability to compete successfully against elite opposition.

Already India's youngest International Master, Ethan now stands just one Grandmaster norm away from achieving the coveted Grandmaster title, the highest title awarded in international chess.

With consecutive international successes against some of the strongest players in the world, Ethan continues to strengthen his position among India's most promising young sporting talents and remains firmly on course towards the Grandmaster title.

Tournament Highlights:
* 3rd Runner-up at the 4th Gujarat International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament (Category A)
* Finished ahead of 18 of the 19 Grandmasters in the tournament
* Youngest player among top prize winners
* Unbeaten score of 7.5/10 (5 wins, 5 draws)
* Played all 10 rounds on the top three boards
* Competed in a field of 306 players from 19 countries
* Won ₹2 lakh in prize money