Support IM Liam Putnam's dream of becoming Grandmaster

Road to Grandmaster

Please contribute to help make Long Island Native, 15-year-old IM Liam Putnam's dream of being a Grandmaster come true! This fund will assist IM (International Master) Liam Putnam's travel, coaching, and tournament fees to compete nationally and internationally to help him achieve the prestigious title of Chess Grandmaster. The financial burden of competition falls solely on the parents, and at this time there is no available funding from a federation or any other agency. Liam's parents have taken him to more than 270 tournaments across the U.S. and Canada, with the average classical tournament being five or six days in length. This represents a tremendous personal and financial commitment and sacrifice for the entire family. Liam, a bit of an underdog in chess resides in a 800 sqft cottage with his parents and is open to corporate and private sponsorship

Liam started playing chess at the age of seven and a half, he states "The experience of becoming an International Master in chess has been a very long and challenging journey but one I am very grateful for. It’s taken years of work, highs and lows to get here. When I first started playing I improved rather quickly and became a National Chess Master at the age of 10 but progressing from there has been much harder. It requires multiple times the amount of work and serious dedication not to give up during rough patches. At each new level progressing to the next becomes harder than the previous one, kind of like leveling up in a video game. If you continue expanding your arsenal of knowledge and don’t get discouraged and give up you will inevitably graduate to the next level at some point. I would like to thank my parents, coaches, and everyone who has supported me on this continuous journey to become a Grandmaster. “

The rarity of becoming an IM or GM in Chess is statistically smaller than growing up and being drafted into the NFL. Currently, there are approximately 1700 Grandmasters of Chess in the entire world. International Master is the second highest internationally recognized title in chess, just under Grandmaster. There are approximately 3,800 IMs in the world. Liam Putnam 15, of Rocky Point, NY recently earned the title of International Master at the Marshall Chess Club 1924 Centennial tournament. Putnam entered the tournament having previously earned his three FIDE required 2450 plus performance-rated Norms at the 2023 Spice Cup sponsored by Webster University in St Louis MO, and two separate IM Norm invitational events organized by Charlotte Chess Center in 2023 -2024 in North Carolina. The only thing standing in his way was the necessary points to get him over the required FIDE rating of 2400. Liam was paired with six grandmasters, and three untitled players over nine rounds, losing no games, drawing four Grand Masters, and winning against two Grandmasters increasing his FIDE chess rating to 2420 and securing the IM Title. Now he is a mere 80 points and three 2600 plus performance-rated Norms from the prestigious title of Grandmaster. Putnam who was born in Suffolk County, NY is the County’s highest-rated chess player. Help him become the first Suffolk County-grown GM in history!