Chess isn't always about winning. Sometimes, it is simply about learning and so is life ~ Anonymous
|
Hi, I'm Brian.I am currently in 11th grade, attending both Freedom High School and Academies of Loudoun, in Loudoun County, Virginia. My journey into chess began when I was seven years old and my Dad (who isn't a chess player, by the way) taught me the basics of the game. I played in my first chess tournament at the age of seven. Since then, it has been quite a journey playing competitively in both scholastic and adult tournaments.
To date, I have traversed through 15 states in the USA and six countries playing in competitive tournaments including representing the United States in several events. It has been an incredible honor and privilege, of which I am extremely grateful and thankful for the opportunity. The travels also gives me a chance to visit new places, especially if it is somewhere that I haven't been before. Chess teaches you valuable lifelong skills such as critical thinking, winning graciously, learning from losses, sportsmanship, and problem solving. Like any competitive sport, chess is difficult especially if you don't work hard and put the effort into it. There is no magical formula for success other than hard work and perseverance. I have had both epic wins and losses in my games. As a contributing writer for US Chess, I was published in the July 2022 issue of "Chess Life" magazine, for the article, "The Fighting Five", detailing the 2022 National Middle School Championship, which I was also competing in during my last year of middle school. I am also a certified USCF Tournament Director (TD) and have passed the SafeSport certification and training. In March of 2024, I was awarded the USCF National Master (NM) title. The National Master title is the highest title accorded by the USCF and less than 1% of rated players currently hold this title. Besides chess, my other interests are robotics, boy scouts, math, video games, Rubik's Cube, swimming, and hiking. I also love durians, known as the king of fruits. |
