My Career

    I learned to play chess at the age of six and played many tournaments during my career of more than 30 years.

    I am currently the number 1 player in Brazil according to the FIDE rating list.

    rafael leitão xadrez campeão mundial

    At the age of 18 I became the youngest Brazilian to achieve the title of Grandmaster.

    rafael leitão xadrez turin itália

    My main achievements are:

    rafael leitão xadrez campeonato brasileiro
    • World Champion U-12 in 1991
    • World Champion U-18 in 1996
    rafael leitão xadrez brasileiro
    • 8 times Pan-American champion
    • 7 times Brazilian Champion
    • Silver medalist (3rd board) at the Chess Olympiad 2006
    rafael leitão xadrez campeonato brasileiro
    • 3rd place at the Correspondence World Championship 2012. This result granted me the title of Correspondence Grandmaster and I became one of the few players with the title of GM in both correspondence and over the board chess.
    rafael leitão xadrez olimpíadas
    I played for Brazil in the Chess Olympiads in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.