ALL ABOUT CANADIAN CHESS SOCIETY

Our beginnings

We are a group of young teens who have a passion for the game of chess. We want to share our knowledge on this game with the community and to provide opportunities to people to fall in love with this game as well.

The popularity and recognition of chess in the lower mainland has always been a struggle compared to the other provinces in Canada. As competitive chess players, we only get to play in a few major chess tournaments each year. Therefore it is really hard for us who live in British Columbia to climb rating as there are no tournaments! We want to change that. We want to offer everyone a fair opportunity to increase their ratings. In addition, we want to spread the benefits of chess to the public and encourage them to find the joy of analytical thinking, problem solving, visualization through a board game.

Our Team

Andrew Yu Qiu

Hi! I am Andrew (Yu) Qiu and I am in grade 11 at Semiahmoo Secondary School in British Columbia, enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program. I have represented Canada in the World Youth Chess Championship, North America Youth Chess Championship and I am a coach for the swimming club, WRASA. Other than chess my passions include, basketball, swimming and building startups. I’m looking forward to working with all of you!

Peter Yong Qiu

Hi everyone! I am Peter Qiu and I attend Elgin Park Secondary grade 11. I have been playing Chess for about 8 years now and some of my chess achievements are representing Canada at the World Youth Chess Championship in Romania 2022, Victoria Open Champion 2022, and Representing BC from 2021-2022.

Andy Guo

Hi, my name is Andy Guo. I am currently a grade 12 student at Semiahmoo Secondary School, enrolled in the IB programme. I have played chess for over 8 years and would love the opportunity to introduce others to the game. I also love playing sports such as soccer and basketball, and enjoy cooking as well.

Elaine Fan

Elaine's love for chess began at the tender age of five, and with over a decade of experience and a passion for the game, she has become an experienced member of the chess community. Elaine's journey in chess includes being crowned the champion of the BC provincial tournaments not once, not twice, but three consecutive times from 2014 to 2016. Her passion and dedication led her to travel across the country to Toronto, where she placed second-place in the Canadian Chess Nationals in 2016. Today, Elaine seeks to give back to the chess community that has been her second home. Her mission is to introduce the timeless game to a new generation of young players. Through the Canadian Chess Society, Elaine aims to ignite the same passion for chess in young minds that has fueled her own journey.

Joshua Imoo

Hi, my name is Joshua! I started playing chess in 2010, and I've been enjoying it ever since. My biggest accomplishments include winning the BC Grade 7 provincials, winning the Jack Taylor memorial with a perfect 6/6 score, and tying for third in my age category at the 2019 Canadian Chess Challenge. I've received training from numerous masters (including a GM and a couple IMs) and I hope to pass on what I have learned. In my spare time, I enjoy playing basketball and improvising songs on the piano.

Stanley Wu

Hello everyone, my name is Stanley Wu and I am a grade 10 student currently attending St. George’s School in Vancouver. I have experience in public speaking (BASA, MUN, etc.), and have been playing chess for 10 years. Outside of chess, I can often be found studying Latin and binging food videos. I am very excited to participate in this project and hope to contribute as much as possible.

Mohkam Singh Malik

Hi! My name is Mohkam and I am studying Political Science at UBC. I am an experienced chess player and public speaker as a member of the British Columbia Youth parliament as well as a avid member of the Model United Nations community. Ever since winning a school wide chess tournament in grade 4 I've been enamored with the sport. As a member of the Canadian Chess Society, I hope to learn new skills and try out new experiences, ensuring a professional yet fun environment for both experts and beginners!