IMMarco Materia

Marco Materia grew up in Paris and began chess after his father bought a set for him and his brother Matteo. He joined Nomad'Echecs and won French youth titles in 2017 and 2018. At ten, he became the youngest French player to earn an International Master norm, achieving it at Cap d'Agde in 2019. Pandemic disruption slowed his tournament schedule. He completed the title requirements at Marseille's Tournoi des Maîtres in 2022 and became an International Master at thirteen. In June 2024, he won the French blitz championship at Saint-Maur-des-Fossés. He added the European under-16 title in Prague that August. The French rapid championship followed in June 2025, qualifying him for that year's World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha. He has combined his schooling in Paris with team competition for Bischwiller.