The Chess Herald has published an article on Turkish entrepreneur and chess patron Evren Ucok's investment in young talent. According to the article, Ucok has put over $5 million into chess in three years, and most of it goes directly to a handful of very young players. His stated motive is that chess is a lasting remedy for the attention crisis among children raised on 15-second reels.
The programme covers far more than coaching fees: career and tournament advice, camps, sports psychology, nutrition, fitness and, where needed, family stipends. Ucok also backs the Marseille, Monte Carlo and Istanbul chess clubs and the European Chess Union's women's and seniors' chess, and funds strong engines and a professional platform designed to curb cheating.
It all began in August 2023 with Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, who was close to quitting for lack of support. With a commitment of at least five years and GM Mert Erdogdu as coach, Yagiz scored three norms in three consecutive tournaments and became a grandmaster in April 2024. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov later took over as coach; Yagiz scored 12.5/18 in the "Clash of Generations" matches and became the youngest player ever rated above 2700. At the Olympiad he scored 8/10 on board one for Turkiye with a 2839 performance and a board silver, lifting his live rating to 2731, No. 17 in the world.
The wider group includes Luca Protopopescu (10), the youngest ever above 2200; Bodhana Sivanandan (11), who broke Judit Polgar's 1988 record as the youngest girl to beat a 2600+ GM; Marc Llari (13), U12 World Cup winner; Christian Glöckler (14), who won the Biel Masters for a first GM norm; Atilla Kuru (15), who completed his GM title in Barcelona; and Aydin Suleymanli and Isik Can (21).
The article notes that the model's defining feature is concentration: one patron, one coaching circle around Erdogdu and Mamedyarov, and a pipeline of norms, camps and invitational matches. Whether this produces more Yagizes or just expensive early peaks will be tested over the coming years; Ucok's commitment to Yagiz runs to at least 2028.
You can read the full article at the link below.
Evren Ucok's $5 Million Bet on Young Chess Prodigies – The Chess Herald
