Media Release

Mangaluru, Jan 1: In a historic achievement, 12-year-old chess prodigy Aaron Reeve Mendes from Mangaluru has made history by becoming Canada’s youngest International Master (IM). This remarkable milestone comes after Aaron secured the gold medal in the Under-18 category at the North American Youth Chess Championship (NAYCC) 2024, held in Virginia, USA, from December 18 to 23. With an outstanding score of 7.5 out of 9, Aaron has earned global recognition.

Aaron’s journey to becoming Canada’s youngest IM follows his earlier success in December 2023 when he surpassed a FIDE rating of 2300, earning the title of FIDE Master (FM). He is now the second-youngest International Master globally and ranks second among Under-12 players worldwide.

To honour his achievements, Aaron was recently awarded the Kalev Pungi Award by the Chess Federation of Canada, recognising his significant progress as a chess player.

Currently, Aaron is receiving coaching from esteemed Grandmasters GM Stany GA, GM Swayams Mishra, GM Arjun Kalyan, and IM Jubin Jimmy from India. He has also benefited from the guidance of IM Sharan Rao, FM Aravind Shastry, and Herman Saldanha, whose expertise has been crucial in his success.

Reflecting on his success, Aaron attributes much of his rise to the foundational training he received at Derick Chess School in Mangaluru, where his chess journey began at the age of 5. He credits the mentorship of Prasanna Sir and Derick Sir for igniting his passion for the game. He acknowledges that the support from Derick Chess School helped him join the ranks of Mangaluru’s International Masters, including IM Viani Antonio Dcunha and IM Sharan Rao, who also trained at the school.

A student of St Barbara Catholic Elementary School in Mississauga, Canada, Aaron is also an alumnus of Mount Carmel School, Mangaluru. He expresses deep gratitude to his school principals, Sister Melissa and Christine Zeni, and the faculty for helping him balance his academics with his challenging chess career.

Aaron is also thankful to the Chess Federation of Canada, particularly CFC president Vladimir Drkulec, FIDE representative Victor Plotkin, and Youth Chess coordinator Christina Tao, for their unwavering support throughout his journey.

Aaron’s journey in 2024 has been marked by several significant achievements:

• In January 2024, Aaron secured second place with a score of 8/9 at the 6th Kudremukh Trophy All India Open FIDE Rating Rapid Chess Tournament, which saw 376 participants.

• He was selected by the CFC to attend the prestigious FIDE Chessable Academy Camp in Menorca, Spain, where he trained with Grandmasters Judit Polgar and Artur Jussupow.

• Aaron claimed first place in the III Open Internacional Chess Menorca Blitz in April 2024, with 8 points out of 9.

• He was invited to the 2024 FIDE Candidates event in Toronto, where he made the inaugural move in Round 9 on Board One.

• In August 2024, Aaron won the North American Junior Blitz Championship title with a perfect score of 6/6.

• He earned his first IM norm at the NY Fall Invitational GM B tournament in November 2024, tying for third place with 5.5 points from 9 rounds.

Aaron’s early chess achievements have been remarkable:

• At age 9, he won the gold medal in the Under-11 Open category at the 2022 FIDE World School Chess Championship in Panama, defeating national champions from several countries.

• In 2020, he tied for first place at the ‘American Continental - FIDE Online World U10 Rapid Championship.’

• In 2023, Aaron triumphed in the Chess Kid Youth Speed Chess Championship, defeating Antoni Radzimski of Poland with a score of 9.5–5.5.

Aaron Mendes's meteoric rise in the world of chess is a testament to his extraordinary talent, hard work, and the solid support system around him. His story serves as an inspiration to aspiring chess players everywhere and is a moment of immense pride for Mangaluru.