Bangladesh’s rising chess star, Manon Reza Need, has made history by becoming an International Master (IM) at the age of 15. Nird, who already held two IM norms, clinched his third and final one on Friday, October 4, during the 8th round of the Budapest Grandmasters Tournament in Hungary. He achieved this by defeating India’s Sambit Panda, bringing his score to 6 points in 8 rounds.
Having already surpassed the 2400 rating mark with an impressive 2450, Neer fulfilled all the criteria required for the IM title. This remarkable achievement was confirmed by Bangladesh Chess Federation’s arbiter, Haroonur Rashid.
Neer now joins the elite group of five International Masters from Bangladesh, which includes Zillur Rahman Champa, Abu Sufian Shakil, Minhazuddin Sagar, and Fahad Rahman. Neer’s rapid ascent mirrors that of the subcontinent’s first Grandmaster, Niaz Murshed, who also earned his IM title at the age of 15.
This victory has added significant momentum to Bangladesh’s presence in international chess. Currently, Bangladesh has three male and two female players competing in multiple tournaments in Budapest. Notably, Neer’s fellow competitor, Fahad Rahman, is also vying for a Grandmaster norm, and with just one more victory, he may claim it in today’s final round.
The Bangladeshi chess community is abuzz with excitement as more players look to raise their ratings and secure norms in upcoming tournaments, further strengthening the country’s position on the global chess stage.
