International Master (IM) Fahad Rahman secured his second Grandmaster (GM) norm on Wednesday after emerging champion in the FUBY Academy Norm Chess Tournament Series 3 Grandmaster event in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Bangladeshi prodigy drew with Georgian IM Gaioz Nigalidze in the ninth and final round to finish with seven points, enough to clinch the title and confirm his second GM norm.
Fahad had earned his first GM norm at the Hanoi Grandmasters Chess Tournament in Vietnam in March 2024. He now needs a third GM norm and a FIDE rating of 2500 to become Bangladesh’s sixth Grandmaster.
The eighth and ninth rounds were played on Wednesday. Fahad, rated 2424, defeated Iran’s IM Pour Agha Bala Amirreza (2453) in the eighth round to move to 6.5 points, leaving him needing only a draw in the final round to secure the norm.
The tournament featured 10 players, including three Grandmasters, four International Masters, two FIDE Masters and one Candidate Master from Bangladesh, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Poland and Turkey.
Meanwhile, Pakiza Group is providing financial support for Fahad Rahman to participate in three international tournaments in Istanbul.
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