2019 QUEBEC CHESS CHALLENGE 

BY GRADE
 

QUEBEC CHAMPIONS 2019

​First row from right to left: Grade 1- Arnaud Jutras, Grade 2- Hugo Guillemette, Grade 3- Luca Georgescu-Nicolau, Grade 4- Alex Jikai Yan, Grade 5- CM Kevin Zhong, Grade 6- Richard Q. Zheng; Second row from right to left: Grade 7- Storm Lei, Lefong Hua, captain of the Quebec Team, Grade 8- CM Tyler Tanaka, Grade 9- FM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, Grade 10- Gabriel Philip Tinica, Grade 11- WIM Maïli-Jade Ouellet, Grade 12- Ananda Saha.

Missing in the photo: Kind: Samuel Ghattas

 


504 young champions from all over Quebec were invited to participate in the 31st edition of the Quebec Chess Challenge by Grade, a five round tournament held in Montreal at the Reception Hall The Rizz on April 14th. The best players in each school grade were crowned as the Quebec champions, earning them a spot on the provincial team at the national Canadian Chess Challenge.

Competitive level:

First of all, this tournament invited only the best players in Quebec (except for kindergarten kids where it was open to all). To play the Provincial, you must either be in the top 10 of your school grade or qualify in a qualifying tournament. To give you an idea of the strength of the competition, no less than 10 players already titled took part in this tournament including five Experts, two Canadian Masters, two FIDE Masters and one Woman International Master!

Fourteen players in eleven different sections finished with a perfect 5-0 scores and for three of them it wasn't enough to win first place (Ouch!). The perfect scores belong to Samuel Ghattas, Arnaud Jutras, Hugo Guillemette, Richard Hu, Luca Georgescu-Nicolau, Yunqi (Lucas) Liu, Alex Jikai Yan, Kevin Zhong, Benjamin Roy, Richard Q. Zheng, Storm Lei, Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, Gabriel Philip Tinica and Maïli-Jade Ouellet.

The fight for the title continued with playoff games in three sections. Hugo Guillemette won the title against Richard Hu in grade 2, Luca Georgescu-Nicolau won in grade 3 against Yunqi (Lucas) Liu while Kevin Zhong succeeded in keeping his title for the fifth consecutive year in grade 5 against Benjamin Roy. WoW!

But the most thrilling competition happened in grade 8 this year. An extraordinary performance from Tony Wu changed the face of the podium. Tony, defending champion of Prince Edward Island who now lives in Quebec, played an incredible tournament and took any chances at the podium for Qiuyu Huang for the first time in eight years. Qiuyu was undefeated at the Quebec Chess Challenge and is a five time Canadian champion. Double WoW! Tony, who finished third, won three games, but most of all tied against the big names in his section: Qiuyu Huang, Tyler Tanaka and two times against Leo Richard. Leo finally won second place by Armageddon against Tony. What a fight, it took eight games for the final decision! A true battle of nerves! The Kindergarten section also had a five-player battle for second and third places!! 

The twelve provincial grade champions will represent Quebec on May 19-20 at the nationals in Vancouver, British Columbia. Some of the 2019 champions, Alex Jikai Yan, Kevin Zhong, Richard Zheng, Shawn-Rogrigue-Lemieux and Maïli-Jade Ouellet, already have Canadian titles to their credit. Good luck, Québec!

 

Kindergarten

     
1Samuel Ghattas   La Prairie Notre-Dame/St-Joseph5.0/5.0
2Yuxuan ChenBrossardAu Pied de L'Échelle6.0/7.0
3David CericovMontréalEnseignement à la maison5.0/7.0
     
4Julie Anna CraciunMontréalLa Vérendrye5.0/7.0
5Ziyi YeLasalledu Petit-Collège4.0/6.0
6Zhiyu YangBeaconsfieldSt-Rémi4.0/6.0
7Brendan XuMontréalMarc-Favreau3.5/5.0
8Bruce CuiMont-RoyalSt-Clément3.5/5.0
9Jacob SévignySaint-Henri-de-Lévis Belleau-Gagnon3.0/5.0
10Anastacia KirilenkoMontréalF.A.C.E.3.0/5.0


For second place:

Yuxuan Chen won the playoffs against Julie Anna Craciun and David Cericov.

                                      Top 3 - Kindergarten 
 

Grade 1

     
1Arnaud JutrasMontréal  Chénier5.0/5.0
2Sean Tang-HanNotre-Dame-de-l'Île-PerrotCharlemangne4.5/5.0
3Alejandro LopezMontréalInternationale4.0/5.0
     
4Cheng QianMontréalNotre-Dame-des-Anges4.0/5.0
5Maksim Ivanov-Yuan MontréalMarie-de-France 4.0/5.0
6Zihua WeiBrossardGuillaume-Vignal4.0/5.0
7Stephan WuLachineSte-Anne4.0/5.0
8Victor ScorteanuMontréalInternationale4.0/5.0
9Johnny FangGatineaude l'Amérique-Française3.5/5.0
10Baige ChenMontréalMarc-Favreau3.5/5.0


                                  Top 3 - Grade 1 


Grade 2

     
1Hugo GuillemetteBlainvillede Fontainebleau6.5/7.0
2Richard HuBrossardMarie-Victorin5.5/7.0
3Weixuan Qin Longueuil Ste-Claire4.0/5.0
     
4Jingwei WangBrossardFélix-Leclerc4.0/5.0
5Edouard WangMontréalCardinal-Léger4.0/5.0
6Aaron LouMontréalInternationale 4.0/5.0
7Mathieu DuvalLavalLes Trois-Soleils4.0/5.0
8Danila SychevCôte Saint-LucDes Amis-du-Monde4.0/5.0
9Martin EvgenievPierrefondsCharles-Perrault4.0/5.0
10Rolf BertomeuMontréalFernand-Seguin4.0/5.0


Hugo Guillemette won the playoffs against Richard Hu for the first place.
First game: tye; second game won by Hugo.


                              Top 3 - Grade 2


Grade 3

     
1Luca Georgescu-Nicolau  Mont-RoyalSt-Clément  6.0/6.0
2Yunqi LiuBrossardMarie-Laurier5.0/6.0
3Chen ChenBrossardInternationale4.0/5.0
     
4Eric YinPincourtCharlemagne4.0/5.0
5Michel DingMontréalFernand-Seguin4.0/5.0
6Saad MemonMontréalSt-Léon-de-Westmount4.0/5.0
7Evan XuanHampsteadMichèle-Provost4.0/5.0
8Varun PaiSherbrookeSherbrooke4.0/5.0
9Michael ZhangMontréalJudith-Jasmin4.0/5.0
10Chu Fan FangMontréalFernand-Seguin4.0/5.0


Luca won the playoff against Yunqi.
It's a second provincial title for Luca. He won in 2016 in the Kindergarten section.




                            Top 3 - Grade 3

Luca Georgescu-Nicolau: 2 - time Quebec champion.



Grade 4

     
1Alex Jikai YanVerdundes Marguerite5.0/5.0
2James LiSt-LaurentFernand-Seguin5.5/6.0
3Eric LiuLachineVictor-Thérien 4.5/6.0
     
4Barron Jiyu JiangMontréalJudith-Jasmin4.0/5.0
5Emanuel Kot Rawdon Enseignement à la maison4.0/5.0
6Vikrant HariharaPierrefondsEmmanuel Christian4.0/5.0
7Christophe DufresneRouyn-NorandaSt-Joseph4.0/5.0
8Yuanen HouSt-LaurentLafontaine4.0/5.0
9Valentino SalvatoreMont-RoyalMont-Jésus-Marie4.0/5.0
10Kevin ZhangMontréalNotre-Dame-de-Sion4.0/5.0


Pour second place:

James Li won the playoff against Eric Liu.




                                           Top 3 - Grade 4       

Alex Jikai Yan: 2 - time Quebec champion and Canadian champion 2016.        


Grade 5

     
1Kevin ZhongPierrefondsCollège Beaubois6.0/6.0
2Benjamin RoyMontréalSt-Barthélémy5.0/6.0
3Zekai He LachineDes Berges de Lachine4.5/5.0
     
4Vincent LatorreMontréalSte-Cécile4.0/5.0
5Toma Suda LafontaineMontréalFernand-Seguin4.0/5.0
6Yao Feng LiSt-LaurentLaurentide 4.0/5.0
7Gwyn ChapdelaineMontréalEnseignement à la maison4.0/5.0
8Ze Yue LiMontréalInternationale4.0/5.0
9Ilyas Mehdi BelaidMontréalLa Vérendrye4.0/5.0
10Rafaël AdamLaval Ste-Dorothée3.5/5.0


Kevin Zhong won the playoff for first place against Benjamin Roy.
 



                                            Top 3 - Grade 5 

CM Kevin Zhong: 5 - time Quebec champion and one time Canadian champion in 2017. - Defending champion -



Grade 6

     
1Richard Q. ZhengMontréalNotre-Dame-de-Grâce5.0/5.0
2Prince Eric Jr Guipi Bopala Blainvilledes Semailles4.5/5.0
3Esteban BezinSt-Laurent Katimavik4.0/5.0
     
4Jiacong LiPointe-ClaireSaint-Louis4.0/5.0
5Edgar CaoSt-LaurentGuy-Drummond 4.0/5.0
6Daniel Orejuela LiuMontréalSt-Léon-de-Westmount4.0/5.0
7Nicolas LimMontréalThe Priory4.0/5.0
8Kevin LiuMontréalInternationale3.5/5.0
9Zhongxuan LiDorvalGentilly3.5/5.0
10Anthony NavalaSt-LaurentKatimavik3.5/5.0



                                                        Top 3 - Grade 6

Richard Q. Zheng: 5 - time Quebec Champion and Canadian champion 2015. - Defending champion -




Grade 7

     
1Storm LeiMontréalCollège Jean-de-Brébeuf5.0/5.0
2Jiaqi HeLachineCollège Saint-Louis5.0/6.0
3David CraciunMontréalCollège Jean-Eudes5.0/7.0
     
4Anahita FarahdelNotre-Dame-de-l'Île-PerrotCollège Sainte-Marcelline4.0/6.0
5Hunter WeiSaint-Laurent Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf3.5/5.0
6Haruaki OmichiMontréalCollège Jean-Eudes3.5/5.0
7Julia Tsukerman MontréalInternationale3.5/5.0
8Danyal AzizovMontréalF.A.C.E.3.0/5.0
9Yihan XuMontréalCollège Jean-de-Brébeuf3.0/5.0
10Yu Xi HeAnjouCollège Jean-Eudes 3.0/5.0


For second place:

Jiaqi He won the playoff against David Craciun.

For third place:

David Craciun won his second playoff game against Anahita Farahdel.

 

                                             Top 3 - Grade 7

 

Grade 8

     
1Tyler TanakaWestmountLower Canada College  4.5/5.0
2Léo RichardLorraineAcadémie Ste-Thérèse6.0/8.0
3Dongze (Tony) Wu BrossardAntoine-Brossard5.0/8.0
     
4Qiuyu HuangMontréalCollège Jean-de-Brébeuf3.5/5.0
5Owen LiuLavalCollège Notre-Dame3.0/5.0
6Daniel-Tianqi YuMont-Royal Internationale3.0/5.0
7Arturo HallMontréalF.A.C.E.3.0/5.0
8Émile BergeronLavalPoly-Jeunesse3.0/5.0
9Tani BercuvitzMontréalRoyal West Academy2.5/5.0
10William WangLavalInternationale de Laval2.5/5.0


Léo Richard won by Armageddon against Dongze (Tony) Wu in playoffs for second place.



                                              Top 3 - Grade 8

 

Grade 9

     
1Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux  MontréalSophie-Barat5.0/5.0
2Xi Ming YuBrossardCollège Jean-de-Brébeuf4.5/6.0
3Alexis DemersLongueuilCollège Durocher 3.5/6.0
     
4Wenxuan ZhongMontréalInternationale3.0/5.0
5David ZhouLa PrairieCollège Jean de la Mennais3.0/5.0
6Jacob JolicoeurL'Îsle-aux-Allumettes Secondaire Sieur-de-Coulogne3.0/5.0
7Tong Cheng WeiBrossardCollège Durocher3.0/5.0
8Mickaël BonneauLévisL'Envol3.0/5.0
9Victor GuoMontréalCollège Regina Assumpta2.0/5.0
10William MaiMontréalInternationnale2.0/5.0


Xi Ming Yu won the playoff against Alexis Demers for second place.
 


                                              Top 3 - Grade 9

FM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux: 5 - time Quebec champion and Canadian champion 2017 and 2018.
- Defending champion - 

 

Grade 10

     
1Gabriel Philip Tinica  MontréalCollège Jean-de-Brébeuf  5.0/5.0
2Marin KiryakovMontréal Joseph-François-Perrault4.0/5.0
3Wei-Sen WangSaint-ConstantCollège Jean-de-Brébeuf3.0/5.0
     
4Dhiaa NaasGatineauSecondaire de l'Île3.0/5.0
5Julien ForgetHenryvilleMarcel-Landry3.0/5.0
6Benjamin Armstrong-GirouxMontréalLe Vitrail2.5/5.0




                                           Top 3 - Grade 10

Gabriel Philip Tinica: 4 - time Quebec champion. - Defending champion -


Grade 11

     
1Maïli-Jade OuelletSt-LambertCollège Durocher5.0/5.0
2Hou Han ZhangÎle-BizardCollège Charlemagne3.5/5.0
3Étienne Latreille Val-des-MontsEnseignement à la maison3.0/5.0
     
4Yoakim TurgeonMontréal Collège Jean-Eudes2.5/5.0
5Abel Becerra-HerreraSt-HubertCollège Charles-Lemoyne 2.5/5.0
6Xavier GaumontLavalCollège Mont-St-Louis1.5/5.0

 



                                            Top 3 - Grade 11

WIM Maïli-Jade Ouellet: 5 - time Quebec champion and Canadian champion 2013 and 2016.

- Defending champion - 



Grade 12

     
1Ananda SahaMontréalCollège Vanier  4.0/5.0
2Zachary SaineOutremontCollège Marianopolis3.0/5.0


                              Champion - Grade 12

Ananda Saha: 5 - time Quebec champion. - Defending champion -


Our champions in action:

Kindergarten - Grade 2

Top left: foreground black sweater: Samuel Ghattas; blue t-shirt: Arnaud Jutras; striped sweater: Hugo Guillemette.



Grade 3 - 6

Top left and right: Luca Georgescu- Nicolau and Kevin Zhong. Bottom left and right: Alex Jikai Yan and Richard Q. Zheng.





Grade 7 - 9

Left: Storm Lei; right up and down: Tyler Tanaka and Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux.



Grade 10 - 12

Top left and right: Gabriel Philip Tinica and Ananda Saha; bottom left: Maïli-Jade Ouellet.

 

 


 

Plaque handed to Zachary Saine and Evan Zhang:
 

Written on the plaque:

The Chess'n Math Association, Canada's National Scholastic Chess Organization, is proud to recognize Evan Zhang (Zachary Saine) as having been one of the rare elite players to take part in 12 consecutive Quebec Chess Challenge Championships. 

2008 - 2019

Montreal April 14th 2019

 


Challenge Fever!

This exceptional number of players is the result of the popularity of scholastic chess tournaments throughout Quebec. Chess'n Math has seen a 25% increase in attending in the Qualifiers this year. Organizers from across Quebec are running different tournaments to apply the learning concepts but also to bring an exciting sport to our young players. These kinds of activities in a healthy atmosphere of competition really combine learning with pleasure!

From regular tournaments to regional championships, such as School board championships, the Outaouais Chess League Championship or the Abitibi-Temiscamingue Championship and many others, our young people are proud to participate in their regional championship and are delighted to continue at the provincial level for the Quebec Chess Challenge.

As coordinator of the Quebec Challenge, I was able to visit championships or tournaments that were also Qualifiers for the Quebec Chess Challenge. It was good to see the excitement of young people at these tournaments, to hear them ask if they had qualified for "the big tournament".

It is worth mentioning here that many of these 504 players did not qualify on the first try; they had to try more than once. The perseverance they have shown is exemplary.

So, to all of our 504 players, we congratulate you all for your efforts throughout the year and we are very happy to welcome you year after year! May the fever continue for the Quebec Chess Challenge 2020! 

Take a look at the Quebec Chess Challenge 2019:
 










A work of pro!

 Our team: Virginie Roux, Tournament Director, assisted by Anaïs Charmillot. Assistant (Claude Lalumière), Chief Referee (Thierry Libersan) and referees.







A captivating sport!






We proudly wear the badge and read with interest the booklet of the event.



It's all about concentration:









The official photo of the Quebec Chess Challenge 2019:



Chess is a gentleman's game!



Every $ of our chess equipment sales is reinvested in our activities. It's a beautiful wheel that has been running for 34 years!



Challenge Family Photos:

Our beautiful regions: QAIS, Outaouais, Grandes-Seigneuries School Board, Levis, Rouyn-Noranda, Outremont, Chambly, Estrie, etc. Thank you, parents!!!








The whole team thanks you!

​Virginie Roux, Tournament Director; Maria Manuri, Quebec Chess Challenge Coordinator; invite you for next year!

​Special thanks to Lefong Hua and Gaston Chouinard for their beautiful photos.


Tournament results


Lefong Hua and his photos


Gaston Chouinard and his photos

(more than 600 beautiful photos)
 




The table is set for next year at the 2020 Quebec Chess Challenge!

 

Author of the article: Maria Manuri, Coordinator, 2019 Quebec Chess Challenge


 

À propos

L'Association Échecs et Maths (AEM) est un organisme sans but lucratif qui, avec ses coordonnateurs provinciaux, a pour but de promouvoir le jeu d'échecs en milieu scolaire au Canada. 


About us

The Chess and Math Association (CMA) is a non-profit organization which, with our provincial coordinators, aims to promote chess in schools in Canada.