July 29, 2007
Chess
Being a Grandmaster Is Tough When You Are Not Quite 15
By DYLAN LOEB McCLAIN
America’s newest grandmaster turns 15 tomorrow.
Fabiano Caruana, who has United States and Italian citizenship, recently completed the requirements for that title by winning the First Saturday tournament in Budapest.
Caruana is the youngest grandmaster in United States history, breaking the record held by Hikaru Nakamura, who turned 15 about two and a half months before he qualified. Caruana is also the 12th youngest grandmaster in history.
In a telephone interview from Budapest, where he lives with his parents, Caruana said his short-term goal was to be among the world’s top 150 players by the end of the year. His long-term goal? “I guess I want to be world champion.”
Caruana has long been considered a prodigy, but the hurdles in reaching the top ranks are considerable, requiring great sacrifice.
In Caruana’s case, he and his family made a decision three years ago to leave the United States, where Caruana was born, and move to Europe, where there are more opportunities to play and study chess.
“It was hard to evaluate,” said his father, Lou Caruana. “It was more of a risk than what we had realized at the time, but it did work out.”
Lou Caruana gave up a variety of jobs and concentrated on his real estate business. Fabiano Caruana was home-schooled, which, he admitted, meant that some of his studies were a bit “erratic.”
The family ended up in Budapest, where Alexander Chernin, Caruana’s coach, lives. That has been a bit isolating for Caruana.
“I don’t understand the language, so I don’t have friends,” Caruana said. He added that playing and training consumed most of his time.
Still, Caruana said he was happy with how things have worked out. “I was against the idea of moving to Europe,” he said. But “now it is clear that it was a good decision.”
Click here to read the full article.
Congrats! Where & when did Bob Fisher become a GM?
I do not consider it appropriate to put him as the youngest american GM. He is now an Italian GM.
He may still try to hold American citizenship but as far as I am concerned he is a Benedict Arnold. A traitor to America.
Nakamura is a true loyal American GM.
We do not consider Kamsky and Onischuk and Anna and others who came here from other countries to still be of their native countries. So why do we consider this defector from American chess to still be American. If he wants to be an American Chess Player then he must renounce Italy and be only affiliated with USA.
I accept that he has dual citizenship as an American and Italian. But when it comes to being a chess player he plays for Italy and he does not play for America so he is not an American Chessplayer any more.
Lol! I hope not many americans think like you do.
why not? If we consider GMs Kamsky and Onischuk to be American GMs because they play under the U.S. flag, even if they were born elsewhere, then it’s only fair to consider GM Caruana an Italian GM because he plays under the Italian flag.
I must agree. The flag that sits beside of you at any tournament is “your” country. It is the one you have chosen to adopt.
So, though he has American citizenship, he chooses to represent Italy.
Big deal. He’s just a kid. To use such a word as “traitor” is patently absurd! Look the word “traitor” up in a dictionary.
“Defector????” What a clown. A lot of American citizens have duel citizenship. I doubt the kid has any ill will against the U.S. and even if he did…who cares???
I’m a Republican and very patriotic. But, I must ask:
In what negative way does this kid having an Italian flag sitting by him at the tournament table affect your daily life in any way????
Geez, give the kid a break. He hasn’t done anything but prove to be a good chess player.
If such a trivial thing as this upsets you, then maybe you should see “Dr. Phil.”
He went to Europe to develop his chesslevel, which he is doing for sure!
In the USA it is impossible to go for the same level of chess education. USA has no chess culture!
I’m sorry if this sounds hard to accept, but it’s the facts…
You guys should be proud someone that strong wants to be a US citizen!
What is a ‘real’ USA citizen anyway?!? Everyone are immigrants and different races in the USA…a meltingpot.
(which is NOT a bad thing!)
Diversity is interesting.
Congrats! Where & when did Bob Fisher become a GM?
You mean Bob Fisher the Icelandic nut case?
First off congrats to the young man, what a great acomplishment.
However… I agree with the orginal comments. The young man now plays under the italian federation.
He is not the youngest US grandmaster… Nakamura still holds that title.
Fabiano deserves credit for his achievement. He has been coached up the proverbial whazoo and it has paid dividends-I guess.
I wish him the best, but agree. He is an Italian GM-not American. He is though, the youngest “American Born” GM. I’m not sure that means much considering his final choice of affiliation.
Where does this leave the fattest GM, or the oldest and the one with the worse case of dropsy?
Good luck Fabiano.
Two words: Ratings Manipulation
Fabiano Caruana, yesterday, saturday august 11, won the Hogeschool Zeeland chess tournament. 7,5 out of 9. Participants: Kasimdzhanov 2683, Krasenkow 2660, Tiviakov 2648, Stellwagen 2631, Flores 2560, Ikonnokov, 2558, ….
Link: http://www.hztoernooi.nl