Ancaster teen will compete in two world championship chess tournaments
Ancaster teen Richard Chen is off to Uruguay to wage battles on the chess board.
Chen, 16, is competing in the World Youth Chess Championship in Montevideo, Uruguay, from Sept. 16 to 26. The competition draws players under 16 from across the globe.
Chen — who is ranked 31st out of 77 participants — says he’s ready for the challenge.
“I think I can perform much better than my current ranking right now,” he said. “I feel I’m psychologically ready and mentally prepared.”
Chen is also headed to the World Junior Chess Championship (for boys and girls under 20) in Tarvisio, Italy, in November. That competition is more intense, as several of the competitors have already reached grand master status — the World Chess Federation’s highest ranking.
The world of chess is extremely competitive. There’s an element of mental warfare that plays out during a match — something the Westmount Secondary School student says is one of his favourite parts of competition.
“I’m pretty competitive when it comes to chess,” he said. “It’s not just a game of chess. It’s a psychological game against your opponent.”
Chen, who has been playing chess since age 7, studies his opponents carefully before each competition. He must calculate moves that are not only technically productive, but can also shock his rival into breaking his or her concentration.
But it’s not all about the competition. Chen says he’s made good friends in the world of chess and looks forward to hanging out with his peers — after beating them at the chess board, of course.
“Of course you make friends after the competition — it’s only one game a day, and a game takes five hours. Why not just make some new friends?”