Ethan Vaz becomes India’s 96th and Goa’s third Grandmaster

By admin July 8, 2026 Updated: July 11, 2026 0 comments

IM Ethan Vaz earned his final GM-norm at Chess Summer in Sarajevo GM Mix 2026 on Saturday 27th June. Thus, he became India’s 96th and Goa’s third Grandmaster.

Three GM-norms in a little over eight months

The reigning National Junior Open 2025 champion, 14-year-old Ethan Vaz is a profusely talented kid from Goa. The Grandmaster title was an inevitabilty to him. It was never a question of ‘if’, it was always a matter of ‘when’. That happened at the end of June. This year we got six Grandmasters in the first six months. The years in which India got six Grandmasters are – 2013, 2017, 2019, 2025 and now 2026. This is the first even year to get six GMs. It is highly likely that this will be the year when India will have the highest number of Grandmasters in a calendar year and also quite possibly reach 100 GMs.

India’s 96th and Goa’s third Grandmaster – Ethan Vaz | Photo: Ethan’s twitter

First GM-norm: GM4 Festival Saha Bijelina 2025

Ethan Vaz scored his first GM-norm at GM4 Festival Saha in Bijelina, Bosnia & Herzegovina in October 2025. He defeated GM Slavko Čičak (SWE), GM Dalibor Stojanovic (BIH), GM Miloje Ratković (SRB) en route his first GM-norm. Ethan also won the tournament.

Ethan Vaz scored an unbeaten 7.5/9, performed at 2674, scored his maiden GM-norm and increased his Elo rating by 24.6 points

Second GM-norm: GM Mix 11 Fantastico 2026

A little over two months later, Ethan secured his second GM-norm at GM Mix Fantastio 2026 in Senta, Serbia at the beginning of this year. Before that, he reached exact 2500 Elo rating in December 2025 FIDE Rating list. Ethan defeated GM Zhamsaran Tsydypov, drew against GM Nikita Afanasiev and GM Alexander Shabalov. He scored an unbeaten 7/9, performed at 2653, gained 15 Elo rating points, finished first, en route his second GM-norm.

Ethan – Zhamsaran, Round 5

Position after 16…0-0??

GM Zhamsaran Tsydypov (2495) blundered 16…0-0?? and invited trouble. Ethan Vaz (2516) pounced on his opportunity and made a Greek Gift sacrifice 17.Bxh7+! Kxh7 18.Qh5+ Kg8 19.Re3 the absence of knight was filled by the rook 19…f5 20.exf6 Qxf4 21.Rf3 Qh6 22.fxe7 Nxe7 23.Qxc5 White recovered his sacrificed material and went on to win the game comfortably.

Ethan Vaz scored an unbeaten 7/9, performed at 2653, won the tournament and increased his Elo rating by 15 points

Third GM-norm: Chess Summer in Sarajevo – GM Mix

A little over six and a half months later, Ethan earned his final GM-norm at Chess Summer in Sarajevo – GM Mix 2026 in Istocno (East) Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He defeated GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR), drew against GM Andrey Shariyazdanov (SRB) and GM Alexander Kovchan (UKR), en route his final GM-norm. For the third consecutive norm, Ethan also finished first.

Ethan – Bernadskiy, Round 7

Position after 25…Ng4?

GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR, 2511) made the mistake of playing 25…Ng4? Ethan Vaz (2522) seized his chance 26.Bxg6! hxg6 27.Qe4 Nxh2 28.Kxh2 dxe5 29.Rd3 Bd6 30.Ng5? delayed the win for White a little bit. 30.Rfd1 would have maintained the upperhand.