One of his standout victories came in round seven
Shreyas Royal made history by winning the British Chess Championship, eight years after his family faced deportation from the UK.
The 17-year-old defeated some of England’s most established chess players to claim the title at the University of Warwick in Coventry, becoming the youngest person to do so.
Royal finished ahead of experienced grandmasters including Luke McShane and nine-time British champion Michael Adams.
He was the only unbeaten competitor in the 107-player tournament, producing a series of mature performances throughout the championship.
One of his standout victories came in round seven against McShane.
He then defeated 2022 champion Harry Grieve in the final round, completing the victory with a checkmate involving two queens.
The championship adds another major achievement to Royal’s rapid rise through British chess.
Shreyas Royal became the UK’s youngest-ever grandmaster in 2024 and his journey to the top of British chess has also been shaped by his family’s immigration experience.
His family moved to the UK from India when he was three years old. In 2018, his father’s IT work visa was due to expire.
However, his father did not meet the annual income requirement needed for the visa to be renewed.
The family subsequently faced the prospect of being deported from the UK.
They were later informed by the Home Office that they could remain in the country, with Royal’s exceptional chess talent taken into consideration.
Eight years later, Royal has become British champion and established himself as one of England’s leading young chess players.
His victory also highlights the strength of the next generation of English chess talent.
Twelve-year-old Supratit Banerjee remained in contention for the open title until the final round.
Meanwhile, 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan won the women’s championship, setting another age record.
Despite winning the British Championship, Shreyas Royal will not be part of England’s five-player squad for next month’s World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The selection deadline for the 210-team tournament was in mid-July, when Royal’s official FIDE rating was below that of the other contenders.
Grandmaster Daniel Fernandez was selected as the fifth player after bypassing the British Championship and winning a strong international tournament in Vlissingen, Netherlands.
Royal’s latest achievement comes as attention turns towards two major international chess events.
The Sinquefield Cup begins in St Louis, United States, with Uzbekistan’s world championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov among the favourites.
The Esports World Cup begins in Paris a day later, with world No 1 Magnus Carlsen the top seed.
The two events have been affected by a clash of dates, with tensions emerging over the competing commitments.
France’s Alireza Firouzja chose to compete in Paris despite previously committing to the Sinquefield Cup.
The decision has implications for the Grand Chess Tour, with the Sinquefield Cup serving as its main event.
United States world No 2 Fabiano Caruana currently leads the Grand Chess Tour.
For Royal, however, his British Championship victory marks another significant milestone in a career that has already broken several age records.
Just eight years after his family faced uncertainty over their future in Britain, the 17-year-old now stands at the top of the country’s chess hierarchy.
Loading ...