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Who is the oldest person ever to become Grandmaster?

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24th March 2008, 08:55pm
#1
by Ricky1234
Bogota Colombia
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 10

I always hear people talking about the youngest grandmaster in history, but I have never heard anything about the oldest grandmaster. Does anyone know who is the oldest person ever to become grandmaster? Just curious.

Thanks

 


24th March 2008, 08:57pm
#2
by Knightly
Wisconsin United States
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 717
No idea! :(. . . :)
24th March 2008, 09:15pm
#3
by austenmc
Stanford United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 30

Not sure, but you can take a good guess by doing the math from this page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chess_grandmasters 


24th March 2008, 09:24pm
#4
by anthony_lenaming
consolacion,Cebu Philippines
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 32
I think Rosendo Ballenas of Philippines
24th March 2008, 09:29pm
#5
by austenmc
Stanford United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 30

I couldnt resist actually doing the analysis on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chess_grandmasters  :)

Note, this is an incomplete list, some entries did not contain the year when they achieved the title, and I did not incorporate off by one for achievement-before-their-birthday issue (in other words, I assumed everyone's birthday was January 1st).

Anyway, according to wikipedia, the oldest GM was Enrico Paoli who was GM'd at 88. He was Italian.


24th March 2008, 09:29pm
#6
by DaPharaoh
Gaithersburg, MD United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 1358

good topic, i was wondering the same thing. so how old was Rosendo Ballenas when he became GM?

 


25th March 2008, 06:28am
#7
by Ricky1234
Bogota Colombia
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 10
Incredible to become grandmaster at 88.
25th March 2008, 06:58am
#8
by billwall
Palm Bay, FL United States
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 2514
Paoli's GM title was an honorary GM title (just like Koltanowski) for his chess playing ability when he was a young man.  Balinas was born in 1941 and was awarded the GM title in 1976, so age 35 is not that old.  I'll have to research who is the oldest GM that got it by playing chess and was still active when he was awarded the title.  Korchnoi is the oldest active GM at age 77 (his birthday was a few days ago on March 23).  Lilienthal is the oldest GM at age 93.
 
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