Goa, July 25 -- Goa's Grandmaster-elect Ethan Vaz concluded a stellar European tour with a third-place finish in the Masters category of the Serbia Open 2026 held in Belgrade.

The 14-year-old chess prodigy, who recently secured his final Grandmaster norm in Bosnia, remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, registering five victories and four draws against a formidable field of titled players.

Ethan's impressive campaign included games against one Grandmaster and five International Masters. A draw in the final round against tournament leader International Master Aswath S denied him the championship title, but his overall performance saw him finish ahead of all 14 Grandmasters competing in the event.

The remarkable result caps off an ...