Awonder Liang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Awonder Liang |
|
|---|---|
Liang at Hart House in 2023
|
|
| Country | United States |
| Born | April 9, 2003 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Title | Grandmaster (2017) |
| FIDE rating | 2592 (June 2025) |
| Peak rating | 2687 (November 2024) |
| Peak ranking | No. 42 (November 2024) |
Awonder Liang, born on April 9, 2003, is an amazing American chess player. He holds the highest title in chess: Grandmaster. When he was younger, Awonder was a true chess prodigy. He became a Grandmaster at just 14 years old. This made him one of the youngest Americans ever to reach this incredible level. He even won two world championships for his age group!
Awonder's School Life
Awonder went to Charles Van Hise Elementary School. Later, he attended Velma Hamilton Middle School. He then studied at Madison West High School. Today, Awonder is a student at the University of Chicago.
Awonder's Chess Journey
Becoming a Chess Expert
On April 16, 2011, Awonder made history. He became the youngest chess expert in the United States Chess Federation (USCF). He was only 8 years and 7 days old! His rating reached 2000 points. This broke the old record by almost two years.
Youngest to Beat an International Master
Awonder kept breaking records. On August 5, 2011, he was 8 years and 118 days old. He became the youngest player to beat an international master (IM). This happened at the U.S. Open in Orlando, Florida. He defeated IM Daniel Fernandez.
Winning a World Championship
On November 27, 2011, Awonder won a gold medal! He competed in the Under 8 section. This was at the World Youth Chess Championships in Brazil. This big win made him the U-8 world chess champion. It also earned him the title of FIDE Master.
Youngest to Beat a Grandmaster
Awonder made history again on July 29, 2012. He was just 9 years and 111 days old. He became the youngest player ever to beat a Grandmaster (GM). This happened at a tournament in Rockville, Maryland. He defeated GM Larry Kaufman. This broke the previous record by about two and a half months.
Becoming a US Chess Master
On March 23, 2013, Awonder achieved another milestone. He became the youngest person to get a master's rating. This was within the United States Chess Federation. He was only 17 days shy of his tenth birthday. His rating reached 2206 points. This record was later broken by Maximillian Lu.
At the 2013 World Youth Championships, Awonder won again. He took home the gold in the Under 10 section.
Earning International Master Title
On June 30, 2014, Awonder was 11 years and 92 days old. He became the youngest American to earn an International Master (IM) norm. He earned his third and final IM norm on November 25, 2015. He was 12 years, 7 months, and 6 days old. This made him the youngest American to qualify for the IM title.
Competing in Junior Championships
From July 8 to July 17, 2016, Awonder played in the U.S. Junior Closed Championship. He finished in second place. He won four games and drew four.
Reaching Grandmaster Status
In May 2017, Awonder earned his final two Grandmaster norms. He won the Spring Chess Classic in St. Louis. Then he played well at the Chicago Open. On May 29, he officially became a Grandmaster. He was the third youngest American to achieve this title.
On July 17, 2017, Awonder won the US Junior Closed Championship. This win earned him a spot in the 2018 US Chess Championship. In October 2017, he also joined the first Jamaican International Chess Festival. His team, "Raging Rooks," won a prize.
Recent Achievements
In October 2022, Awonder played in the US Chess Championship. He finished tied for third place. In March 2023, Awonder led his University of Chicago B team. They won their second US Amateur Team North Championship in a row.
In April 2023, Awonder entered the World Top 100 chess players. His FIDE rating reached 2651. In August 2024, he achieved his highest FIDE rating of 2666. He also reached his peak World ranking at #65. This happened shortly after he won the World Open chess tournament.
