Young chess prodigy Caleb Levitan has become the youngest person to achieve South Africa’s Top Active Chess Player By Rating ranking!
South Africa (09 March 2025) — In exciting news from the national chess scene, teenager Caleb Levitan has made South Africa proud once again for his impressive achievements in the sport. Caleb has been recognised as South Africa’s top active chess player by rating from the beginning of this year. And he’s only 14.
This title refers to highly rated chess players who are still competing in official tournaments. Importantly, Caleb did not achieve this title in reference to his age category alone. Rather, he surpassed male chess players of all ages to claim the coveted spot on the ‘Top 10 South African Male Chess Players’ rankings.
Caleb’s father, Shaun, tells Good Things Guy that this recognition means that Caleb is the youngest person to hold this distinction.
No stranger to being the youngest to achieve big feats, Caleb first hopped onto Good Things Guy’s radar in 2023 when he was awarded the FIDE Master title by the World Chess Federation at 12-years-old. Once again, he was the youngest South African to have ever secured this title.
Then, in September of 2024, he made history by being the youngest champ to represent South Africa at what is considered to be the ‘World Cup of Chess’—the Chess Olympiad.
His recent achievement as South Africa’s Top Active Chess Player By Rating then comes as no surprise given his incredible track record in chess.
The young prodigy’s journey began back in 2018 alongside his twin brother, Judah. Both went on to win the African Youth Chess Championships and have each gone on to have exciting journeys in the game since.
Judah is the 4th highest rated in the Junior Chess Player category, which recognises players who are 20 and younger.
by 