SanTan
October 2013
FAMILY FUN
11
Pint-sized chess champ goes global By Ana Anguiano
A young Chandler boy’s love of chess has taken him across the world and labeled him a champion. Kevin Chor is only 8 years old but he has already dominated chess competitions at a global level. He recently returned from Brazil where he won the gold medal at the 2013 Pan American Youth Championship in the Boys U-8 section. He was undefeated and won nine out of nine rounds. Kevin’s introduction to chess was a fluke, according to his mother, Amy Ni. Neither one of his parents played nor had Kevin shown much interest in the game. However, a conflict with a scheduled summer camp meant they had to find a backup, and they chose chess camp. “I asked Kevin if he wanted to try it and he didn’t object so we went to the chess camp and the rest was history,” says Ni. It didn’t take long for Kevin to fall in love and master the game. It was only a weeklong camp but he wanted to go back. After his second time at chess camp, his coach suggested his parents try taking him to tournaments. Ni admits that they were hesitant about giving up their weekends for chess tournaments, but it came as a great surprise when Kevin started winning. He won first place in his division at the qualifier tournament for the state championship, and he was only 6 years old when he took first place at the Governor’s Cup Chess Tournament in Arizona. He has played in tournaments in-state, out-of-state and
has been invited to play international scholastic tournaments due to his high ranking. He attended the World Youth Chess Championships in Slovenia last year and placed 11th out of SIGHTSEEING: Local chess star Kevin Chor enjoys the sights of Pocos de Caldas, Brazil, as he preps for the 2013 Pan American 136 players in his age Youth Championship. Photo courtesy of Amy Ni division. He was also the youngest player to rank so high at age 7. The competitive chess scene has been a whirlThis year Kevin was wind for his parents, but Ni says they are taking it ranked No. 1 for his age “one day at a time.” They plan to eventually scale group by the U.S. Chess back his tournament playing to give Kevin the Federation. ACCEPTING AWARD: Kevin Chor accepts his opportunity to be more well-rounded. “I like how the pieces first-place trophy at the 2013 Pan American Still, Kevin is a normal student Chandler’s Knox move and I like making new Youth Championship in Brazil. The secondfriends at chess tournaand third-place winners were both from Peru. Elementary School who loves playing basketball when he isn’t globe-trekking for chess. Ni says she ments,” Kevin says. Photo courtesy of Amy Ni still doesn’t play chess very often, and it certainly Ni describes her son as a isn’t easy going against a tiny champ. social butterfly who makes friends wherever he goes. “He will talk trash if we try to play with him,” she says That said, Kevin looks forward to seeing his friends from with a laugh. “He’ll laugh and snicker and be like, Texas, California, Florida, Illinois and Tennessee when ‘Mom, you’re done.’ So I don’t even try anymore.” he’s on the tournament circuit. This year Kevin was awarded the title of “candidate master” by FIDE (World Chess Federation), and he is Ana Anguiano is a freelancer for the SanTan Sun News. gearing up for the 2013 World Youth Chess She can be reached at news@santansun.com. Championships this December in Al Ain, near Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.