Jan Karsten

Jan Karsten
Personal information
Born2008 (age 17–18)
Cape Town, South Africa
Chess career
CountrySouth Africa
TitleInternational Master (2023)
Peak rating2387 (October 2026)

Jan Karsten (born 2008) is a South African chess player who was awarded the FIDE title of International Master in 2023.

Chess career

At age 14, and one of the youngest contestants, Karsten won the 2022 African Junior Chess Championship, finishing unbeaten on 6.5/9. This earned him the title of International Master.

As a result of this win, he qualified for the 2022 World Junior Chess Championship where he finished on 4.5/11.

Karsten won the 2024 Cape Town Chess Masters, where he was the top seed.

In December 2025, Karsten beat world champion Magnus Carlsen in a simultaneous Chess960 exhibition, and in March 2026, Karsten won the South African Chess Championship.

Karsten has represented South Africa in two Chess Olympiads, 2024 on board two, where finished with 5.5/9, and 2026 on board one (5/10).

Personal life

Karsten attends Jan van Riebeeck High School. As of 2026, Karsten is in his final year of high school, and also plays tennis, swimming, cricket and hockey.

References

  1. 1 2 3 McCain, Nicole. "Meet the matric boy who was just named SA's chess champ... and who's beaten Magnus Carlsen". News24. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Karsten, Jan". FIDE. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "New SA chess champ likes conquering his dad while blindfolded". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Chess-Results Server Chess-results.com - African Junior Chess Championship 2022 - Open". chess-results.com. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Masala, Kenya Chess (20 November 2022). "Jan Karsten & WIM Lina Nassr win 2022 African Junior Championship". Kenya Chess Masala. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "59th World Juniors 2022 Games". www.365chess.com. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ↑ February (JesseFebruary), Jesse (6 January 2024). "Cape Town Masters Day 3: The underdogs take over". Chess.com. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Chess-Results Server Chess-results.com - Cape Town Masters Challenge 2024". chess-results.com. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  9. ↑ "45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 2024 Open". chess-results.com. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  10. ↑ "46th Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026 Open". chess-results.com. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  11. ↑ Vivier, Tyler Leigh (18 July 2022). "Jan Karsten Earns Champion Title at African Youth Chess Championship". Good Things Guy. Retrieved 6 January 2024.