9 years. 1 title. 1 achievement. From October 28 to November 8, 2025, the European Youth Chess Championship brought together nearly 1,200 players from across the continent. And it was in Montenegro that the little player from Marseille, with 7.5 points out of 9, triumphed on November 7 in the under-10 category, after a particularly tough tournament.
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9 years old and already the chess king of Europe
At only 9 years old, Luca Protopopescu has become the first player from Marseille to win a European title in this competition. A remarkable achievement for this player trained at the Marseille Chess Club, where he has been registered since the age of 4. It's no wonder his fighting spirit, cool-headedness, and maturity in facing the best of his generation have allowed him to master every game.
This continental crown crowns a fantastic year in 2025, where he also won the title of French champion (in both classic and rapid formats) and made a splash on the world stage.
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A child of the lockdown turned global phenomenon
The story begins in March 2020, during the first lockdown related to Covid-19. Luca learns the rules of the game at just 4 years old. A few months later, he gets his first license from the French Chess Federation and joins Marseille-Chess.
His progress is striking. Vice-champion of Europe under 8 in 2023, French champion U8 in 2024, he then becomes the number one in the world for under 8, then 9 and 10 years old.
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On April 1, 2025, he definitively enters the legend: at just 9 years and 5 days old, he surpasses 2200 Elo points, becoming the youngest player in history to cross this mythical threshold. He thus breaks the previous record held by the young Englishman Ethan Pang. This achievement was made possible thanks to his victories at the International Open in Cannes and the Hyères tournament.
Since September 2024, he has been coached by the renowned Turkish international master Mert Erdoğdu, who supports him in his meteoric rise.
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A Out-of-this-World 2025
His 9th year truly feels like a modern fairy tale. As the French champion for under 10 in both classical and rapid formats, a gold medalist at Top Jeunes, European champion, and then the world champion for under 9 in rapid this December 2025: Luca is racking up titles with astonishing consistency.
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Supported since March 2025 by Turkish entrepreneur Evren Üçok, co-founder of Trendyol, the young prodigy now has guidance that matches his talent.
At just 9 years old, Luca Protopopescu is no longer just a hopeful talent: he is already a worldwide reference among young players. And what if the future of French chess is being written from Marseille?