The 8-year-old who won a car playing chess!
At just nine, Tamizh Amudhan is the only Under-9 player with a rating above 2000 Elo. His rise has been nothing short of extraordinary, from learning the game at home to becoming World No.1 in his age category. The twist in the story is that just last year, when he was eight, the young prodigy even won a Maruti Suzuki car after securing a silver medal at the Athens of the East Chess Tournament. Tamizh's parents have done immense sacrifice to support his training. His mother lives with him, nearly 350 kilometres away from home, while his father stays back with his sister. The family has happily embraced this arrangement so that Tamizh can pursue his chess career. Read more about his inspiring journey.
The road to 2000 Elo
A 9-year-old crossing the 2000 Elo mark is a rare feat in the world of chess. If you take a look at the list of the world’s top players in the Under-9 category, you will find only one name above the 2000 mark: Tamizh Amudhan!
Tamizh was just four years old when he first learned chess. His first exposure to chess came from his cousins, who had themselves only recently begun playing the game. Tamizh quickly began showing an instinctive understanding of the board.
Interestingly, the first person outside the family to recognize this potential was Ravichandran, a bus driver from Kallakurichi who also coaches chess part-time. Tamizh caught his attention during a district-level tournament. Despite having no formal coaching at the time, the young boy managed to score 3 points out of 5 against experienced players. Ravichandran was impressed with his performance and decided to coach Tamizh free of cost.
Very soon, the results began to show. At the age of six, Tamizh showed an amazing performance in a state Under-9 tournament where he scored a perfect 9 out of 9! According to his family, he was the only player in any category at the event to achieve such a score without proper coaching. Naturally, they felt the need for greater exposure and serious training for Tamizh.
As his strength continued to grow, the family began searching for quality offline coaching that would also be financially manageable. During this time, they came across the Hatsun Chess Academy. Tamizh's father shared that joining the academy proved to be an important step in Tamizh’s journey. Under their guidance, Tamizh’s playing strength improved significantly, particularly his speed and confidence in faster formats.
Tamizh’s rating graph began to rise rapidly, and within a short span, he achieved several extraordinary milestones. He became the youngest player in the world to cross the 2000 Elo mark at the age of eight. He earned the Candidate Master title at a young age. By February 2026, he had climbed to World No.1 in the Under-9 category. At one stage of his rapid progress, he even gained more than 350 Elo points in a single month. This is so rare for chess players.
Tamizh also began making his mark on the international stage. He represented India at the Asian Youth Chess Championship in 2025. He delivered an impressive performance and won four silver medals and one bronze medal!
Later at the Athens of the East tournament, Tamizh won Silver medal by scoring 8.5/9. What followed was an unforgettable moment. The nine-year-old was awarded a Maruti Suzuki car for his performance.
Tamizh's family plays a big role in these achievements. They have made significant sacrifices to support his chess career. His father is a first-generation government officer (Group B) who comes from an agricultural background, while his mother is a homemaker. As Tamizh’s training demands increased, the family took a bold decision. His mother moved nearly 350 kilometres away to stay with him so that he could continue training regularly, while his father remained at home with their daughter, Uthisha. Despite being only ten years old, Uthisha showed maturity in accepting the situation and supporting her brother’s journey!
Like many families supporting young talents, Tamizh’s parents have had to face the financial realities of competitive chess. Due to financial constraints, Tamizh has sometimes had to miss certain national and international tournaments. His father believes that the young prodigy had strong chances of winning medals for India at events such as the Commonwealth Chess Championship and the Western Asia Youth Chess Championship. Any kind of financial support or sponsorship would go a long way in helping Tamizh continue his journey.
His parents were unaware of the immense expenditure involved: costs for travel, accommodation, entry fees, and equipment. His father frankly admits with a heavy heart, "We might have skipped this field if we knew earlier."
Tamizh's journey is both inspiring and thought-provoking. On one hand, it highlights the incredible talent of a young player who has already achieved so much. On the other hand, it shows us that many promising players still struggle with the financial realities of the sport. With the right support, the journey of players like him can become an even greater success story.
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