Third Grader National Chess Champ

January 20, 2006

Congratulations to Skaggs Elementary School's Darwin Yang, third grade, who has been named the number two chess student in the nation!

The following article about his achievements appeared in the January 10 Dallas Morning News.

9-year-old among nation's tops in chess
Plano: Youth busy playing mind games - and winning

By LAUREN D'AVOLIO / The Dallas Morning News

Darwin Yang, who stands 4-5, is barely taller than his national champion chess trophies. But his self-confidence creates the impression that he towers over the awards that stand like shiny sentinels in his Plano home.

"I'm happy and amazed so far," he said. "But I wasn't expecting it to go so fast."

The U.S. Chess Federation ranked Darwin No. 2 among 8-year-old playe rs in the country. He is expected to be among the top three 9-year-old players when new rankings come out next month, according to Joan DuBois, a spokeswoman for the chess federation.

Ms. DuBois said international competition may be in Darwin's future.

"That's how they get the avenue to world competition -- through us," she said.

Dujiu Yang, Darwin's father, emigrated from China to the U.S. in 1986 to pursue a career in electrical engineering. He succeeded, and now he wants his son to succeed.

"Competition is really tough. You have to be really smart," Mr. Yang said. "In my mind, he can go as far as he wants to go."

Babakuli Annakov, a chess grandmaster and Frisco resident, said Darwin is one of his most promising students. The two met in an after-school program that included chess lessons.

"He joined the group lesson, and he found the answer to one of the complicated questions. And after that, he said it was easy," Mr. A! nnakov said.

Easy, indeed.

In November, Darwin won the National Youth Action Chess Championship for kindergarten through third grade. Then, two weeks later in December, he won the U.S. Chess Federation's Grade Three Championship.

"It's most impressive," Mr. Annakov said. "He's working. His parents are serious about his chess. He loves it, and I do my best."

Darwin attends third grade at Skaggs Elementary School in the Plano school district. In addition to his schoolwork, he plays Internet chess once or twice a day. He also plays almost every Friday at the Dallas Chess Club.

Darwin says he gets nervous during games because he wants to please his parents with the quality of his play.

"We want him to be tough," Mr. Yang said. He admitted that he and his wife, Kewei Wu, sometimes get angry with Darwin for careless mistakes. "In learning chess, you can learn a lot of other things. In life, not everything is easy."

Dar! win is more than a chess whiz. He's steeped in knowledge of R! oman his tory and can share obscure facts about armor and battle techniques at the drop of a hat.

He also ice skates, enjoys soccer tournaments and has won math competitions. He and his 11-year-old brother, Kevin Yang, have amassed dozens of trophies that fill the living room hearth.

Darwin admits that Kevin beats him in two-fifths of their chess games. But he doesn't lose very often.

"I only give up when I'm really losing -- about to be checkmated," Darwin said.

Mr. Annakov said he believes Darwin has a bright future in chess.

"He has a desire, and obviously, he has talent," Mr. Annakov said. "Besides talent, you have to work hard. And I think Darwin does that."