Thirteen-year-old Chinese prodigy Pu Xiangzhi on October 23 became the world's youngest Grandmaster ever, the Chinese Chess Association said.

　 Pu, who is 13 years ten months, registered six points from a possible nine in an international tournament here to achieve the last of the three Grandmaster results, which is required by the international chess body FIDE for a Grandmaster rank.

　 The previous world age record was held by Ukraine's Ruslan Ponomariov, who became Grandmaster when he was a little over 14 years.

　 Pu scored two Grandmaster results at a couple of international competitions in Europe in September.

　 Ten chess players from China, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan, four of them Grandmasters and three Masters, took part in the six- day Qingdao international tournament.

　 Pu, with five wins, two draws and two losses, finished second after the tournament winner Dao Tan Hai of Vietnam, who also scored six points with three wins and six draws.