Young Superstars: Markus Ragger

Markus Ragger (born Feb 5, 1988 in Klagenfurt) is tied as the top Austrian chess player. He learned chess at the age of two from his grandparents. At six, he began playing at the club where he plays today.  He plays in the German Bundesliga competition in the 2007/08 season for SG Alekhine Solingen. He has trained with GM Dusko Pavasovia and GM Artur Jussupow.

He has been a FIDE master since 2003 and International Master since 2005 - the youngest of Austria's International Masters.  He earned the first two standards in March 2005 within two weeks in Deizisau:  One at the International German Youth Championships and the other at the Neckar Open. The third standard was earned at the 2nd Austrian Bundesliga in Leoben. 2005.

In 1996, at the age of 8, he was the Austrian U10 Champion, and has participated in six Austrian Youth Championships.  He won the U14-Championship in May 2002 in Saalfelden. In the World Cup U14 (in Iraklio), he was fourth place.  In August 2004, he won the EU Youth Championship (U16). In November of that same year he finished eighth in the World Cup U16, again in Iraklio. At the International German Youth Championship 2005 he took second place.

In July 2007, at the Carinthian Chess Festival (Kärntner Open Championship), he achieved a GM-Norm. In Oct/Nov 2007, he played in the Europe Team Championship as a top board of the Austrian team and went undefeated, earning his second GM-Norm.  His current Elo rating is 2528 (Oct 2007), tieing with Stefan Kindermann as the top Austrian. In April 2007, he held the top Austrian position with 2529.