Ten-year-old Samvel Ter-Sahakian of Armenia has become the youngest chess player across the globe to gain international master ranking by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). "No ten year old has ever received a master ranking–neither in Armenia–nor internationally," said his jubilant coach Dikran Keozian.
Ter-Sahakian–who hails from Armenia’s third largest town of Vanadzor–snatched the European championship title for the "under ten bracket" in September–gaining eight points out of 9 possible without losing any game (7 wins and two draws).