Ever since his dad introduced him to chess at the age of three and a half, Ben has had an interest and passion for chess. When playing chess, Ben discovered that chess was not only a fun board game, but it also helped him stay focused in stressful situations and develop strategic thinking and problem solving skills, while offering many opportunities to make new friends from all around the world. Ben hopes that by joining CTC, he will make it easier for others across the globe to play and enjoy the beautiful game of chess. When he is not playing or studying chess, Ben plays the piano, writes novels, and plays video games.

Ben’s chess achievements include:

• National K-12 Grade Championship 6th Grade, 16th place, 2022
• Wahington International Contenders, 1st place, 2022
• Skyline Open U1800, 1st place, 2022
• New York Scholastic Championship K-5, 5th place, 2022
• US Amateur Team East (USATE), tied 3rd place, Top PA Team, 2022