Ryo Chen - Young Chess Prodigies
In this edition of ChessKid Spotlight, we showcase one of the brightest rising stars in chess, Ryo Chen!Learn All About Ryo:
Who is Ryo Chen?
The 15-year-old international master (IM) got his start playing in tournaments at the age of eight, quickly showing promise as one of the strongest young players in Texas. After just a year and a half of playing, Ryo became a US Chess national master. Ryo went on to surpass the FIDE Master rating requirement with flying colors, and then earned the IM title in 2023 at just 12 years old.
Ryo has played in multiple international events and scored big, such as placing second in the 2023 U.S. Cadet Championship, one of the strongest annual events for young prodigies. He then placed ninth in the 2024 National Open, beating Grandmasters Dariusz Swiercz and Viktor Matviishen.
Ryo is also a regular at ChessKid's Youth Speed Chess Championship, being the first AND second winner of the event in 2020 and 2021. For some context, the other competitors Ryo faced were among players like IM Tani Adewumi and IM Alice Lee.
Check out Ryo's checkmate tactic! Do you see the solution?
Ryo's Fast Facts
Let's go through some interesting tidbits about Ryo!
He has:
- A peak rating of 2425 FIDE and 2531 US Chess.
- Played against 23 other players at once (called a simul) at the age of 12, and won every game!
- Held a draw against GM Andy Woodward with a game-changing chess tactic; check it out!
His favorite:
- Chess player: Garry Kasparov
- Chess variant: Bughouse
- School subject: History
Ryo at the 2022 Charlotte Chess Center IM Invitational, winning 7/9 and getting his first IM norm! Photo: Charlotte Chess Center
Best Games
FunMasterMike Says…
"Ryo came out of nowhere to win the first two ChessKid Youth Speed Chess Championships. For someone who learned the game recently to beat all the top juniors in the world really impressed me. We've met in person a few times and he's also quite respectful and fun to be around. We also played a blitz game once in person. As for the result, not only did he crush me, I don't even think he used any time on his clock! Ryo has a great future ahead of him."
Way to go, Ryo! Your accomplishments are inspiring. We are excited to see where your talents will take you next.