ChessKids Ryo, Tani, and Brewington Win Big

This past weekend the extraordinary ChessKids NM Ryo Chen, FM Tani Adewumi, and CM Brewington Hardaway competed in separate IM Norm Invitational tournaments. For all three this was probably the hardest event of their life!

To become an International Master (IM) and then a Grandmaster (GM) you need to have the required rating of 2400 FIDE and 2500 FIDE, respectively. You also need to earn three IM norms and three GM norms. To earn the norms (which are earned one at a time by having a really awesome tournament) there are various requirements you must check off. These "IM norm invitationalals" typically ensure those requirements if you earn a certain score.

Ryo Chen

Ryo deep in thought. Photo: Charlotte Chess Center.

Ryo, the reigning ChessKid Youth Speed Chess Champion, had an excellent tournament at the Charlotte Chess Center IM Invitational where he scored 7.0/9 and earned his first IM norm. He went undefeated in the tournament with five wins and four draws and easily took first place as well.

Ryo's rating before the tournament was 2255 FIDE (which will certainly be going up), which means once he secures two more IM Norms and crosses the 2400 FIDE rating threshold he will become an IM. The young Texan is ranked number three in the world for his age group!

Ryo's key draw against GM Alexander Fishbein.

Tani Adewumi

Tani in the zone. Photo: Charlotte Chess Center.

Tani also played at the Charlotte Chess Center IM invitational but in a different group from Ryo. Tani's tournament could not have started better with two straight wins. Unfortunately he hit a rough patch in the middle of the tournament but found his stride at the end to finish with a score of 4.5/9.

Tani would have also needed to score 7.0/9 to achieve his first IM norm but he learned a ton from the experience! An even score in your first-ever invitational is not bad at all.

Tani's second round victory over FM Bach Ngo.

Brewington Hardaway

A ChessKid vs. Chess.com streamer battle in round 1: Hardaway vs. NM James Canty III. Photo: The Hardaway family.

Brewington played at the New York Winter IM Invitational hosted by Taco Bell. It was Brewington's first IM Norm tournament and he finished 4.5/9. He would have needed 7.0/9 to achieve the norm but he also learned a ton from the great experience!

Brewington's round one victory over NM James Canty III.

Congratulations to these three fantastic young men. Two even scores and one IM norm!

Coming up soon on ChessKid, a detailed look at a fantastic young woman you surely know of and her most recent success! Who is it? Hint: Rhymes with "Palace Glee."