A chess prodigy to watch out for - David Lacan-Rus from France

The amazing David Lacan-Rus

At the age of seven, David Lacan-Rus developed an interest in a new toy consisting of 32 pieces and a 64-squares. He immediately took a liking to it after his father Marius Voinéa taught him how to play this game called chess. One day, when he accompanied his father to watch the French Championships, David was completely fascinated. He discovered that a competition was taking place in which adults were playing chess. What captivated him the most were the sounds of the chess clocks, the numerous chessboards, the many players, and the screens showing players' positions. This was how David entered the world of competitive chess. The originally planned 10-minute visit turned into a stay of 4-5 hours.

Seeing David’s interest in chess, his father enrolled him in a chess club, C'Chartres Echecs. Even the President of the club, François Gilles, noticed that David was picking up the sport faster than others. They observed David's passion for the strategic battles on the chessboard. As he continued improving his game, he took the greatest pride in making good moves and loved watching his opponent’s reaction after a particularly clever play, especially when his opponent missed a good move.

Older players often feel a different kind of pressure when playing against younger opponents, especially kids, as they might feel embarrassed if they lose. On the other hand, David loves playing with older players because of their conduct during the game. He prefers this over playing with children, who often bang the clock, which he finds annoying. Nevertheless, David enjoys playing with everyone and is confident in his abilities. He always surrounds himself with great chess players like Gata Kamsky and Namig Gulyiev to learn different techniques.

For David, chess has been more than just a game; it has been a teacher. It taught him to focus, as games can last 6-7 hours. He believes that the mind can be the biggest enemy of a chess player because if a player is not mentally strong, stress will set in, leading to fatigue. David learned this during his last game against Patrick Liu in the under-10 World Championship. His bishop's sacrifice in that game turned out to be the game changer for him. His mental and physical strength allowed him to persevere and win the tournament. If chess players develop this attitude early in life, it can definitely help them become the World Champions one day!

In just two years after starting chess, David achieved something truly extraordinary. At the age of nine, he became the France U-10 Champion, and within a few months, he secured the runner-up position in another French championship, both events held in the same year due to Covid-19 disruptions. It was at this young age that he achieved another remarkable feat: defeating his first Grandmaster, Namig Gulyiev, in a simultaneous play! Who could have imagined that David would surpass the Grandmaster he used to practice within such a short span of time? 

In 2022, David became the U-10 World champion at the tournament held in Batumi, Georgia. The following year, he further solidified his prowess by defeating another Grandmaster, Yannick Gozzoli, in yet another simultaneous exhibition. Since then, grandmasters have felt a sense of apprehension when faced with David in simultaneous events! Despite these impressive accomplishments, David faced a setback in May 2024 when the French Chess Federation declined to select him for the France Youth Team, thereby preventing him from defending his title.

Undeterred, David continued to excel. In July 2024, he participated in a tournament where he achieved the title of FIDE Master and secured his first International Master norm simultaneously! Nine months ago, David set a goal to reach an Elo rating of 2200-2300 by the end of 2024, and today, his rating is already 2232, earning him the FIDE Master title. He is currently the seventh-highest U-12 player in the world. Recently David beat a strong GM at the Saint Quentin tournament - Andrei Sokolov. He kindly agreed to annotate it for ChessBase India and sent it to us with annotations both in English and French.

David Lacan-Rus's journey is an inspiring tale of talent, dedication, and resilience. As he refines his skills and competes on the global stage, the chess world eagerly awaits his future accomplishments. With his impressive track record and unwavering determination, David is undeniably a rising star, destined to make a lasting impact on the world of chess.

Sources:

1) 'David Lacan-Rus, champion du monde à 10 ans' by Philippe Dornbusch, Echecs & Stratégie 

2) Portrait d'un petit prodige des échecs, Chartres TV