Wishing a very happy birthday to Iranian-French Grandmaster Alireza Firouza, the world number 3, one of the participants of the ongoing candidates tournament and youngest player to cross 2800.

Firouzja first battled the world elite in 2020 at the Tata Steel Masters where he more than proved his mettle by notching together 4 wins in the first seven rounds to take the sole lead. However three consecutive losses to Carlsen, Caruana and Anand showed that despite his immense potential, he still needed more experience at the absolute top level.

Firouzja then took part in the 2020 Prague Chess Festival where he won first place after beating GM Vidit Gujrathi in a dramatic play-off.

Firouzja winning the Prague Chess Festival 2020

Firo continued to have impressive performances including a second place finish behind World Champion Magnus Carlsen at the 2020 edition of Norway Chess and a tie for third at the 2021 Tata Steel.

Firouzja finished second in Norway Chess 2020 behind Carlsen.

Then in the 2021 Fide World Cup , Firouzja was shockingly eliminated in his very first match by another prodigy, GM Javokhir Sindarov from Uzbekistan. He recovered well from this setback with an incredible second place finish in the 2021 Norway Chess which propelled him into the world's top 10, and a stunning victory at the 2021 Fide Grand Swiss and thus qualified for the candidates.

Firo entered the world's top ten with a win over Richard Rapport in the last round of Norway Chess 2021

Firouzja won the 2021 Grand Swiss and qualified for the candidates alongside Fabiano Caruana

Another phenomenal performance at the 2021 European Team Chess Championship took the youngster above 2800 in the rating lists.

Firo broke 2800 with a win over Shakriyar Mamedyarov in the European Team Championship.

That brings us to the present, where he faces 7 formidable opponents at the 2022 Fide Candidates Tournament. Will he rise to the occasion and possibly win the event? Or will his lack of experience at the top level prove too much of a disadvantage to overcome? Only time will tell.