Richárd Rapport

Early life

Rapport was born in Szombathely, to Tamás Rapport and Erzsébet Mórocz, both economists.

Titles

Rapport achieved the National Master title in 2008, and became an International Master the next year. In March 2010, at the Gotth'Art Kupa in Szentgotthárd, he fulfilled the final norm and rating requirements for the Grandmaster title. He came in second on the tournament behind his trainer Alexander Beliavsky, and tied with Lajos Portisch (one of the strongest non-Soviet players in the second half of the 20th century). Thus, at the age of 13 years, 11 months and 6 days, he became the youngest ever Hungarian grandmaster (the previous record was held by former world title challenger Péter Lékó), and the fifth youngest chess grandmaster in history.

2013

In May, Rapport tied for first in the Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament, together with Nigel Short and Nils Grandelius, winning on tiebreaks (head-to-head result). He scored 4½/7 (+3−1=3).

In December, Rapport won the European Rapid Chess Championship and finished fourth in the European Blitz Chess Championship.

2016

From 20 – 23 December, Rapport won a match against 17-year-old Chinese player Wei Yi, held in Yancheng, China. At the time, Rapport was the highest rated junior (under 21) player at 2717, and Wei Yi was the second-highest rated at 2707. They tied a match of four classical games with a win each and two draws, then tied a tiebreak match of two blitz games, winning one each. The final tiebreak of the match was an Armageddon game, which Rapport won with the black pieces by resignation.

2017

At the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in January 2017 he played his first game against Carlsen and won with white in 33 moves.

Sample games

Rapport vs. GM Lajos Seres; First Saturday 2009 August GM, Budapest 2009.08.03, Rnd 3, ECO: A89