I like Tal, but Carlsen is my favourite player: Erdogmus

Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, the 15-year-old Turkish grandmaster, was in Bengaluru for the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League and in an interview published on October 31, 2026 told The Hindu, "I like Tal, but Carlsen is my favourite player: Erdogmus".

The Turkish prodigy is described in the interview as possibly the world’s most talented 15-year-old chess player; he became the fourth youngest Grandmaster in history when he earned the title and is currently ranked 17th with an Elo rating of 2731.

Five-time World champion Magnus Carlsen is quoted in the piece as saying the teenager’s quality of chess is unprecedented for his age.

Erdogmus took part in the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League in Bengaluru and represented PBG Alaskan Knights in the event.

The article states that Erdogmus’s emergence is helping chess grow in Turkey and records his remark, "It is becoming a bit more popular and that makes me very happy," he says. A photograph accompanying the interview was credited to FIDE.

Excerpts from an interview he gave The Hindu were published on October 31, 2026 at 06:30 am IST on The Hindu's sport pages.