Born on February 4, 2015, in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia, Roman Shogdzhiev became one of the most popular chess players by 2026, breaking multiple age records. At 11, Roman achieved his highest accomplishment of becoming the youngest International Master in the world and youngest Grandmaster Norm holder.
Study Time Management with Chess
In order to manage studies and tournaments at the same time, Roman’s mother chose home-schooling for her son. In this case, mornings can be devoted to mathematics, literature, and language studies, while afternoons are reserved for chess training. Such organization allows Roman to combine academic success with improving his performance on the chessboard. Roman’s education is oriented towards logical thinking development, which is very important for chess games.
Prize Money and Financial Realities
Despite being known for his impressive skills, Roman receives little prize money in comparison with professionals. Until mid-2026, he had won about 600 to 1,000 US dollars, mainly due to youth competitions and memorial games. The costs of traveling, coaching, and entering tournaments are higher than the sums of prize money that Roman wins. Currently, he can rely on his parents’ help and the Russian Chess Federation. In the future, sponsorships and invitations to tournaments will be more profitable for him.
Tournaments and Victories in Big Tournaments
Roman’s accomplishments include the following:
- The European Youth Championship 2022 in the under-8 age group.
- The World Cadets Championship 2023 in the under-8 age group, when he achieved a score of 11 out of 11.
- The World Rapid and Blitz 2023, where he defeated five grandmasters, namely Kirill Shevchenko and Alan Pichot, aged only eight.
- The Asian Individual Championship 2026, when he achieved a score of 6 out of 9 and obtained a GM norm for the first time.
Such accomplishments earn him a place amongst the youngest record holders in the history of chess along with famous chess players Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin.
Best Win and His Style of Playing Chess
Roman had one of the best wins against the famous grandmaster of chess, Kirill Shevchenko. It was during the World Rapid and Blitz held in 2023. In this game, Roman played with his unique tactical skills. Roman sacrificed a knight for creating attacking chances on the black king in the middle game. Shevchenko attempted to resist, but Roman put more pressure on his king. Finally, Roman created checkmate after playing Qh7+ by forcing the black king towards the side. The rook then attacked the king from a better position.
Roman’s amazing win gained popularity across the globe as he was only eight years old while playing against an experienced grandmaster. Roman plays with sharp and aggressive tactics, similar to the style of Garry Kasparov.
Conclusion
Roman Shogdzhiev demonstrates through his life that success is achieved through dedication, discipline, and passion. Even being very young, the boy managed to achieve something great with his efforts. Young chess masters will find a lot of inspiration in the story of this child:
- Strike a balance between studying and your passion because education enhances your thinking.
- Do not be afraid of strong opponents because this way you develop further.
- Work steadily because it leads to success gradually.
Roman Shogdzhiev, being just an 11-year-old kid, managed to make an impact on the history of chess. The story of this talented chess master not only inspires chess fans but all those who wish to succeed in what they do. Follow The New England Chess School for more stories like this.