Eight Year Old Wins Grade 4-5 Chess Championship in California

Chess history was made on April 22, 2012. Ben Rood, while still only eight years old, won first place in the grade 4-5 section at the Calchess Scholastic State Chess Championship.
   California has been home to many youthful chess prodigies since I started attending the Calchess Scholastic State Chess Championship. A few that come to mind are Hikaru Nakamura, Samuel Shankland, Jordy Mont-Reynaud, Vinay Bhat, Daniel Naroditsky, Nicholas Nip and Samuel Sevian. Ben Rood’s performance at the 2012 Calchess State Scholastic Chess Championship is the best I have ever witnessed by a California chess prodigy under the age of ten.
   Ben’s victory this weekend was simply immense. Not only did he place first in the strongest 4-5 section in California history; he went through the tournament undefeated. Along the way, Ben Rood defeated talented up and coming players as well as one F.I.D.E. Master.
   As fantastic as his performance was, it was not unexpected. During the past two years, Ben has won many state and national titles. In fact, he is the first player in Calchess history to win the Kindergarten Championship, Grade 1-3 Championship and Grade 4-5 Championship in three consecutive years.
   Ben Rood’s success is truly a combination of talent and hard work. In fact, by the age of eight he has learned more about chess than many old veterans of the game. He began chess study with his mother at age three. When he entered school, Ben started attending chess classes run by the Berkeley Chess School. For one so young, Ben’s desire to improve was insatiable. His parents began signing him up for tournaments very regularly and taking him to the Friday Night Chess program run by the Berkeley Chess School. In spite of winning first place in the Kindergarten section at the 2010 Calchess Scholastic State Championships, Ben had reached the point of needing personal attention to draw out his natural talent. During the summer of 2010 Ben met his current chess coach Chris Torres, president of the Torres Chess & Music Academy, at a chess tournament. Currently, Ben enjoys spending upwards of ten hours a week focusing on chess.

Ben is the Best at Chess

On 10/30/2011 Ben Rood again proved that he is the best chess player under the age of eight by producing a perfect score at the 2011 U.S.  National Junior Chess Congress in Santa Clara, California. Ben was the overwhelming favorite in the 2011 U.S. Junior Chess Congress and he did not disappoint his fans. In five rounds Ben Rood racked up five wins and thus became a National Chess Champion for the second time in 2011. Next up for Ben Rood is the World Youth Chess Championships in Brazil which takes place in mid-November.

More articles on Ben Rood:

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/tag/ben-rood-chess-tournament/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/2011-calchess-scholastic-state-championships-ben-rood/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/ben-roods-chess-accomplishments-are-the-talk-of-the-town-in-walnut-creek/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/tag/ben-rood-chess-champion/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/king-of-the-rood/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/on-the-eve-of-greatness-three-california-chess-prodigies-competing-in-their-first-national-chess-championship-2/

Maiti is Magnificent at Chess

Milind Maiti achieved another perfect score in a chess tournament at the 2011 U.S. National Junior Chess Congress. Milind, who is only 6, bested a field comprised of 8 and 9 year olds. The victory was extra sweet for Milind Maiti do to the fact that he won his first national chess title in Santa Clara just minutes away from his home in Cupertino, California.

Other articles on Milind Maiti:

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/on-the-eve-of-greatness-three-california-chess-prodigies-competing-in-their-first-national-chess-championship/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/check-maiti/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/milind-maiti-is-unbearable-at-the-nationals/

https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/milind-maiti-was-undefeated-at-the-national-chess-championship/

Ben Rood Becomes National Chess Champion

Torres Chess & Music Academy, Inc.

16691 Colonial Trail Lathrop, CA  95330 Phone (661) 699-8348 Chesslessons@aol.com

Press Release

Contact: Chris Torres Phone: (661) 699-8348

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2011

FIRST GRADER BEN ROOD BECOMES NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPION

WALNUT CREEK, CA, May 6-8, 2011: Walnut Creek seven year old Ben Rood was awarded the title of K-1 National Chess Champion at the 2011 United States Chess Federation National Elementary Chess Championships held in Dallas, Texas on May 6-8. Ben’s presence attracted interest in the section for kindergarten to first graders because he had the highest chess rating of all 294 contestants. Despite the tough competition, Ben won all seven of his games against the very best chess players his age in the country. The most challenging game for Ben came in round 5 when he was paired against last year’s K-1 champion, Praveer Sharan. It took Ben Rood 3 hours and 81 moves to finally defeat Praveer. He then had to continue his perfect record for two more rounds in order to be crowned a National Chess Champion.

   Ben Rood’s path to becoming a National Chess Champion began at the age of three when he decided that 300 piece jigsaw puzzles were too easy and his mother decided to introduce him to the game of chess. When he entered school, Ben started attending chess classes run by the Berkeley Chess School. For one so young,  Ben’s desire to improve was immense. His parents began signing him up for tournaments very regularly and taking him to the Friday Night Chess program run by the Berkeley Chess School. In spite of winning first place in the Kindergarten section at the 2010 Calchess Scholastic State Championships, Ben had reached the point of needing personal attention to draw out his natural talent. During the summer of 2010 Ben met chess coach Chris Torres, president of the Torres Chess & Music Academy, at a chess tournament. The two started training together a short while later. Chris has taught several other national chess champions. He immediately recognized Ben Rood’s remarkable talent. Chris then devised a plan to get Ben calculating more accurately while playing more aggressive openings that would better suit his personality and amazing tactical vision.

In December of 2010, Ben Rood traveled to Stockton for the Calchess Grade-level Chess Championships and used his newly found chess style very effectively. Ben won all his games easily and became the Grade One State Chess Champion. Over the next several months, Ben’s chess improved at a rate never before seen from a six year old chess player. By February of 2011, Ben was beating very strong chess players of all ages while taking care to record his games accurately for later review with his coach. In the first week of April, Ben Rood competed in the Calchess Scholastic State Championships K-3 division, held in Santa Clara. During this tournament, Ben once again achieved a perfect score and even defeated the reining second grade National Chess Champion, Josiah Stearman. For his remarkable performance, Ben Rood became a State Chess Champion for a third time.

   According to his coach Chris Torres, Ben Rood is the only first grader in California history to win the State Grade Level Chess Championship, the State K-3 Chess Championship and the National Chess Championship in the same school year. Chris attributes Ben’s successes to his remarkable talent, love for the game, incredible work ethic and to the support that his parents Robin Hultgren and Lisa Rood provide.           

Chris Torres had other Torres Chess & Music Academy students to make him proud in the K-1 section. Chris’ other students included Milind Maiti, from Cupertino, who placed third in the individual competition. Five members of the Mission San Jose Elementary School team, Rishith Susarla, Chenyi Zhao, Soorya Kuppam, Jeffrey Liu, and Amulya Harish also placed third in the school competition.

-End-

King of the Rood

Northern California’s top first grade chess player achieved a perfect seven wins out of seven games at the 2011 USCF National Elementary Chess Championship in Dallas, Texas. Ben Rood proved that his 1600 rating is “for real” by defeating Dylan Flores, Dominic Vielot, Liam Selendy, Nikolai Rhodes, Praveer Sharan, Zarek Azam and Diego Costa. The most challenging game came in round 4 against Praveer Sharan. It took Ben Rood 3 hours and 81 moves to finally defeat Praveer who will likely remain a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Because of his awesome performance, Ben Rood has earned the title of “National Chess Champion!”

Attached is a photograph of Ben Rood and Diego Costa sitting across from eachother on board 1 during round 7.

2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships: Ben Rood

Ben Rood scored a perfect 6/6 in the k-3 championship section at the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships. For many at the tournament, Ben’s remarkable performance was the most memorable aspect of the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships. For his coach, the most memorable moment came after Ben’s fifth round win over Josiah Stearman (1712). Immediately following the game, Ben Rood ran up to his mother, Robin Hultgren, and took part in a hug that could have rivaled the joyous embraces that American sailors returning from the second World War shared with their wives.
   This is the third time that Ben Rood has earned the title of “State Champion” and he is only in the first grade!

2011 Calchess Scolastic State Championships: Day 1

Three Northern California chess prodigies performed extremely well during the first day of the 2011 Calchess Scholastic State Championships.  Kindergartener Milind Maiti scored a perfect 5/5 and became the 2011 Calchess Kindergarten State Champion. First Grader Chenyi Zhao scored 2.5/3 in the k-3 championship. Ben Rood, another first grader, scored a perfect 3/3 on day one in the same section. I am extremely proud to have spent time training all three of these super talents.
   For more information on Milind Maiti, Chenyi Zhao and Ben Rood please see visit “On the Eve of Greatness.”

Check Maiti

Milind Maiti with his chess coach, Chris Torres.

Milind Maiti with his Sister, Mother and trophy from the Nationals.

   California has a new chess star and his name is Milind Maiti. On 12/4/2010 Milind won five out of five games in the kindergarten section at the Calchess Grade Level Championship  in Stockton, California. The following weekend, young Mr. Maiti finished with a score of 5.5/7 in the kindergarten section at the USCF National K-12 Championship in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This performance was good enough to tie for third place in Milind Maiti’s first National Chess Championship. Milind Maiti’s performance in these two tournaments has had the effect of changing the chess vernacular at Collins Elementary School in Cupertino, California. Now when attendees of the Collins Chess Club checkmate one another we say “check Maiti!”

National Elementary Chess Championship: Part 2

Day Two of the 2010 Bert Lerner National Elementary Chess Championship is complete.  California has several chess players who have a good chance to be crowned Nation Champion. In the K-5 Championship section, Allan Beilin is in first place with a perfect score. In the K-3 Championship section, California’s Tanuj Vasudeva  and Aaron Householder  are both 5/5. Finaly, in the K-1 Championship section, Luke Zhao is only a half game back with 4.5/5. Also worth noting is the fact that Mission San Jose Elementary School is currently the second place team in the K-1 Championship section.  This is an incredible accomplishment given the fact that they only have four team members while the first place and third place teams have 9 and 8 participants respectively.  Should Mission San Jose Elementary stage a successful comeback, it will be their second National Championship title in two years.   

For information on chess summer camps in California please visit www.ChessAndMusic.com

Countdown until Anand vs. Kramnik

 

   In 22 days Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik will face off in Bonn, Germany for the title of World Chess Champion. According to my database these two elite chess players have faced each other in 127 official games. On these occasions, Anand beat Kramnik 19 to 15, with 93 draws. Below is Vladimir Kramnik vs. Viswanathan Anand from the so called fide World Championships in Mexico City. Kramnik missed 35 Qh6! after 35…Qd6 36 Qxg5 f6 37 Qg8 Rd8 38 Qh7 Rd7 39 Qh4. After running computer analysis on that line I feel Kramnik would have had much better winning chances.   

 

[Event “WCh”]
[Site “Mexico City MEX”]
[Date “2007.09.24”]
[Round “10”]
[White “Kramnik, V.”]
[Black “Anand, V.”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “D43”]
[WhiteElo “2769”]
[BlackElo “2792”]
[PlyCount “81”]
[EventDate “2007.09.13”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5
9. Be2 Bb7 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Ne5 Bg7 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. Bd6 a6 14. Bh5 Bf8 15.
Bxf8 Rxf8 16. e5 Qb6 17. b3 O-O-O 18. bxc4 Nxe5 19. c5 Qa5 20. Ne4 Qb4 21. Nd6+
Rxd6 22. cxd6 Nd7 23. a4 Qxd6 24. Bf3 Nb6 25. axb5 cxb5 26. Bxb7+ Kxb7 27. Qh5
Nd5 28. Qxh6 Nf4 29. Kh1 Qd5 30. f3 Rd8 31. Qg7 Rd7 32. Qf8 Ne2 33. Rfe1 Nxd4
34. Red1 e5 35. Rac1 Qd6 36. Qg8 f6 37. Rc8 a5 38. h3 a4 39. Qe8 Kb6 40. Rb8+
Ka5 41. Ra8+ 1/2-1/2