Player of the Year 2018-19 / CMA Ambassador

  • Calix Marchand Atlantic and Prairies

    _________ GRADES K-3 DIVISION _________ Calix has shown significant improvement at a very young age. From January of 2019 until now his rating has gone from 647 to 945, a significant improve- ment in Nova Scotia for only a 5 month period. Among his latest exploits, he tied for first place in the March Break Intermediate group as well as dominating the grade 1 provincials against a close rival with 6/6. Calix then scored a perfect 6/6 in the Nova Scotia School Team Provincials, as a grade 1 playing second board in the grades 5 and 6 category. Finally, his placement of tied for second at the Canadian Chess Challenge this year cemented him as a great player who has made wonderful progress in a very short time.
  • Hugo Guillemette Quebec

    _________ GRADES K-3 DIVISION _________ The experience of chess tournaments was for him a revelation and it is in this environment that he draws the motivation to constantly improve. Hugo has achieved an exceptional year. He finished 1st at the Quebec Chess Challenge. He was part of Quebec's winning team at the National Chess Challenge in Vancouver. He was crowned 2nd year Canadian champion with the only perfect score of 9/9 among all players in all grades. He also won the U8 Quebec Youth Championship. But the quality of Hugo that little known is his great respect for the world of chess. Hugo is courteous on the chessboard, he respects his opponents in both victory and defeat.
  • Ryan Zhong Ontario

    _________ GRADES K-3 DIVISION _________ Ryan is a grade 2 student at Seneca Hill Public School. His interest in chess peaked when he heard about it last February from his classmates. In order to learn more about it, he asked his parents to enroll him in the after-school program offered by the Seneca Hill Chess as well as the Saturday class and Sunday tournaments. These learning and practice experiences build strong foundations for Ryan, and his chess skills improve quickly and steadily. Ryan is selected as the official NAYCC Canadian player this year. In just 14 months, Ryan’s CMA rating has gone up like a rocket from 0 to over 1300! Ryan won the 5th place in OCC 2019.
  • Wesley Russell West

    _________ GRADES K-3 DIVISION _________ Wesley is a Grade 3 student from Vancouver who started playing chess a little over a year ago. After starting to take lessons at the Vancouver Chess School in March 2018, he quickly improved his chess skills and has attained a CMA rating of 914. He continues to train hard at chess every day and participate in local tournaments. His short term goals is to reach a CMA rating of 1000 before the end of the year, and his longterm goal is to represent team BC at the Canadian Chess Challenge.

  • Zachary Piché Atlantic and Prairies

    _________ GRADES 4-6 DIVISION _________ Zachary is currently in grade 5. Zachary has been playing chess in Manitoba since he was in Kindergarten. He has represented Manitoba at the National Canadian Chess Challenge 4 times for his grade. Zachary is an exceptional player in Manitoba. He has played in each and every scholastic chess tournament during the school year, winning one regular chess tournament, and winning the Manitoba Provincial Chess Championships for grade 5. He is currently the 7th highest rated scholastic player in Manitoba. In addition, Zachary has been instrumental in starting and running a chess club at his school. He has shown initiative by organizing games and running a chess tournament in his school chess club to try and develop more interest in chess among his peers.
  • Kevin Zhong Quebec

    _________ GRADES 4-6 DIVISION _________ From 2018.07-2019.06, he has achieved: The first place at 2018 CYCC u10, represent Canadian Youth to participate in WYCC in Spain. The first place at 52nd New York State Scholastic Championships JUNIOR HIGH CHAMPIONSHIP. The first place at 2019 Quebec Chess Challenge and the first place at 2019 National Chess Challenge. He has the highest score in Grade 5 in Canada (CFC/FQE/FIDE). Kevin Zhong is absolutely a role model in Canadian Youth Chess community.

  • Max Chen Ontario

    _________ GRADES 4-6 DIVISION _________ Rank #1 CMA, CFC and FIDE in his age group. Outstanding performance in many tournaments. Great sportsmanship and involves Zion Height after school program and Markham club activities as model.
  • Andrew Xu West

    _________ GRADES 4-6 DIVISION _________ Andrew Xu is from West Vancouver, BC. He is now a Grade 6 student in the Mulgrave School, West Vancouver. He started to learn chess when he was 5-year old. He won his first tournament champion back when he was in kindergarten at a community chess tournament. Andrew is one of the top-ranked chess players in his grade in BC. He played chess since Kindergarten and participated in all the regional and provincial CMA chess tournaments. He represented Team BC several times to CMA Candian Chess Challenge and won 3rd place in 2017. He is also consistently select as a member of Team BC (Top 2 each grade) since kindergarten to play against Team Washinton for annual Intermat - BC vs Washington Tournaments.

  • Ryan Pickard Atlantic and Prairies

    _________ GRADES 7-12 DIVISION ________ Ryan Pickard is a grade 12 student of Gonzaga High School in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He has played in every sanctioned chess tournament in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2006 – never missing one for any reason. In the 2018-2019 year, prior to this year’s Canadian Chess Challenge, his record was 18 wins, 1 loss and 5 draws. At this year’s CCC National Championship, he scored an impressive 6 wins and 3 losses (his best result ever in his 5 national championships), and was awarded the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, garnering 26% of his team’s points. Finally, Ryan is the assistant coach at two school chess clubs and is a private tutor to three junior players (all of whom became provincial champions in 2019).
  • Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux Quebec

    _________ GRADES 7-12 DIVISION ________ Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux is by far the greatest candidate for Quebec in probably Quebec history. He has hit the cma rating of 2686 and is still has 3 junior years to come. Shawn has shown in is tournament performance that he creates his own limits. No one tells Shawn what to do. Shawn will produce results without any motivation from his surroundings. Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux is one hell of a character. He humble person on and of the chess board. After a win game, nothing comes out of his mouth other than helpful advice for the future. He is a strong model to the little kids and shows with results that it is possible to hit 2600 cma as a junior and Shawn has done it all. He won his provincial tournaments and national tournaments many times which include CYCC and CCC

  • Sarah Peng Ontario

    _________ GRADES 7-12 DIVISION ________ Sarah Peng is Grade 11 student who has been playing chess for almost a decade. From the minute Sarah learned how to play chess she has dedicated herself to improving. When she first began, Sarah was just in Grade 2 and attending the Seneca Hill Chess. Immediately, Sarah was captivated with the game and a fascination with chess was sparked. At just 16 years old, Sarah has grown tremendously, from starting a beginner in chess to being the official female representative at the SPFGI tournament in 2018, and placing 2nd in the 2019 OCC.

  • Andrew Hemstapat West

    _________ GRADES 7-12 DIVISION ________ Andrew Hemstapat is a grade 9 student attending Palmer Secondary school Richmond British Columbia. Andrew started to play competitive chess in 2015 and skyrocketed right after he started. The kid has raw talent and hasn't stopped progressing. He has just won the 2019 Canadian Chess challenge scoring a phenomenal 8.5/9. He has crossed over 2400 very quickly and is still powering through to 2500 and results show that it will happen very soon. The kid is full of Raw Talent and by far the best Junior in British Columbia. He also volunteers at the local library Chess Club and local non-profit organization to teach free beginner's chess lessons to kids.