Age: 9
Hometown: Mundelein
School: Lincoln Elementary School, Mundelein
How I learned:
In 2008, my mom taught me basic rules including how to move and capture the pieces. A few weeks later, I started attending the chess workshop at our local library. Mr. John Van Meer, the chess instructor at the time, was my first “formal” chess teacher. He now teaches at the Grayslake Library.
What I like most about chess:
Chess is a very in-depth game – the more you play, the more you learn. No one can truly say they “master” the game because there is always room for improvement. I also like the fact that chess is a meritocracy: age and physical size make no difference in chess; your brain is what counts. I can beat an opponent twice my size (or twice my age) using brains rather than brawn, which is much more satisfying than the other way around.
(Editor’s Note: We’re impressed that Jonathan knows how to use the word meritocracy in a sentence!)
My biggest chess accomplishments and memories:
I ranked #34 in the U.S. when I was 8 years old. I also helped my team won the first place in a national championship last year. My biggest accomplishment so far is, however, that I made a lot of terrific friends through playing chess; friends who I wouldn’t normally meet or get to know if it wasn’t for chess.
Favorite Players:
My teacher once told me the way I play reminds him of Tal. It’s a huge compliment and I intend to study all of Tal’s games to find out if we have similar styles. The player I admire the most is Carlson though. I always get inspiration and new ideas from his games.
Where I’ve played chess:
I haven’t traveled much for chess tournaments, except to Wisconsin, but I’ve seen enough local hotel lobbies/school gyms to know they’re basically the same. I plan to play in more out-of-state tournaments and explore more fun places as I get stronger in the future.
How often I study:
It really depends on the day. Sometimes, when I I find the material interesting, I study for hours, but other days I can play over one GM’s game and call it a day. On average, I try to study at least 30 minutes a day. I prefer playing to studying. I feel I learn the most from playing with real opponents.
Favorite chess books:
When I was a beginner, I benefited a lot from reading Chess Tactics for Kids by Murray Chandler (or any books by Murray Chandler). My favorite books now are Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur by Euwe and Meiden (in descriptive notations) and Paul Morphy and the Evolution of Chess Theory by Shibut.
My chess goals:
My short terms goals are to become a Class B player by January 2011, to generally improve my game, and to play in more adult/open tournaments starting this year.
Other favorite activities:
I play soccer in a regional league and I also enjoy ice-skating, swimming, playing video games, and reading fiction.
Favorite school subjects:
Math, reading, science and gym.
Future plans:
I want to be a Renaissance Man (or Polymath) when I grow up – like Leonardo da Vinci, I want to excel in a wide variety of subjects or fields. Chess isn’t my only passion or focus, although I hope I’ll play chess all my life and maybe teach little kids chess in my spare time when I get older.
Other thoughts:
The best advice I can give to people who want to be good at chess is: don’t give up when you feel like you aren’t improving. Everyone experiences “plateau” or “slump”, but once you manage to push past the blockage, you’ll suddenly find yourself moving forward and progressing even faster than ever.