Press Release
9-year old Canadian Wins 2010 Canadian Chess Player of the Year Award
Each year the Canadian Chess Journalists, supplemented by one public Fan Ballot, pick the player who has achieved the most in Canadian chess in the past year – this is run by Canadian chess historian and organizer David Cohen.
This year the choice of the journalists, and the Fan Ballot were the same ( first time this has happened ) – 9-year old Victoria, B.C. junior, FM Jason Cao, Under 10 Years Old World Chess Champion. Jason is a grade 5 student at Campus View Elementary School in Victoria, B.C..
Jason pulled ahead of well-known Canadian players like Thomas Roussel-Roozman, Canada’s newest G rand Master, Grand Master Mark Bluvshtein, who defeated then # 2 in the world, Veselin Topalov ( Bulgaria ) at the 2010 Chess Olympiad, top Chess Federation of Canada-rated Canadian, Grand Master Bator Sambuev, and top female Canadian chess player, Women’s International Master Yuanling Yuan
It is Jason’s dream to one day be World Chess Champion. On October 30, 2010 in the last round of the World Youth Chess Championships in Turkey, Jason, representing Canada, took the first step towards that goal. He won his game, and won the World Under 10 Years Old Chess Championship. This had not been done for Canada since 1986, when it had been won by Jeff Sarwer (and his sister, Julie Sarwer, had won the World Girls U 10 Championship ). As a result of this accomplishment, Jason achieved his FIDE Master title.
Prior well-known Canadian winners are ( adapted from David Cohen’s Canadian Chess website ):
2009 FM Shiyam Thavandiran
2008 FM Shiyam Thavandiran (1st)
2007 WCM Alexandra Botez
Jason has a great chess future in Canada, and in the world !
PRESS RELEASE #7/2010
DATE: Monday, December 13, 2010
BY: the Chess Federation of Canada ( CFC )
B.C. WRITER/CONTACT: Brian Raymer, President, Victoria Junior Chess Society (250-595-0025; braymer@telus.net)
CFC CONTACT: Bob Armstrong, CFC Governor ( 416-469-5905; bobarm@sympatico.ca )
INTERVIEW: can be arranged
Congratulations!!!~ ^_^