TEENAGER Hikaru Nakamura's performance at the Bermuda International Chess Festival made him the youngest-ever American chess Grandmaster.

At the age of 15 years, one month and 27 days, he beat the record of the great Bobby Fischer by more than four months.

The youngster's record of six wins, three draws and two losses gave him a 7.5 - 3.5 record which earned him a clear second place in the event at the Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel. Nakamura earned his first Grandmaster 'norm' at last year's Bermuda chess festival and his second at the Los Immortales IV tournament in the Dominican Republic. Last week's efforts gave him the third norm required to earn Grandmaster status.

Fischer became a Grandmaster at a tournament in Yugoslavia in 1958, at the age of 15 years, six months and one day. Nakamura's father and coach, Sunil Weeramantry, said: "As a chess player myself, I am awed by the magnitude of this achievement. As a parent Carolyn and I are just so proud of our son." Nakamura, of White Plains, New York, was born in Japan and moved to the US at the age of two and started playing tournament chess at the age of seven.

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