Caleb Levitan has been awarded the FIDE Master title by the World Chess Federation; he has become the youngest South African ever to secure this distinguished title.
South Africa (02 June 2023) – 12-year-old Caleb Levitan has been officially awarded the FIDE Master (FM) title by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). In achieving this, Caleb has become the youngest South African ever to secure this distinguished title under FIDE’s updated minimum rating system.
Caleb’s prodigious talent first became evident when he, along with his twin brother Judah, clinched the co-champion title at the African Youth Chess Championships in Kisumu, Kenya, back in 2018 at just 8 years old.
Recently, Caleb showcased his extraordinary abilities once again at the African Youth Chess Championship held in Zambia. Despite being one of the youngest competitors, Caleb valiantly took on the Under-16 category and finished tie for first place on points (second on tie breaks), leading to the provisional award of his FM title.
In April this year, Caleb reached another significant milestone when his FIDE Elo rating crossed the 2100 mark. This accomplishment consolidated his place as a FIDE Master. With this accolade, Caleb becomes one of nine active FIDE Masters in South Africa and now holds the impressive ranking of 13th in South Africa based on his current FIDE rating.
Adding to his list of impressive accomplishments, Caleb set a national record with an astounding performance at the World Cadet Championships held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in 2018, securing 7.5 out of 11 points. To date, this stands as the best performance by a South African at a World Chess Championship. He also finished fourth in 2022 at the World Schools Chess Championships in Panama and played board 1 for South Africa at the Youth Olympiad held in Azerbaijan in 2022.
“Caleb’s journey has been marked by consistent hard work, unyielding determination, and a knack for surpassing boundaries. His attainment of the FM title at such a young age serves as a testimony to his exceptional talent and the unyielding support of his family and coaches,” said Mr Vicky Magu, the President of Gauteng Chess.
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