At Premier Chess Academy (PCA), our vision is to transform kids into the world of chess & support them along the transition. Each and every kid at PCA deserves a special appreciation but we have shortlisted (selection criteria below) the students. Friendly advise, “for student’s those who didn’t make it through – you will make it one day and for those who are the stars of the month – continue the practice as your bar goes up”.
Here we go to recognize the stars of the month (November 2021) at Premier Chess Academy, Europe!
1. Jai Darsh Puri
“Jai is 7years old and started learning chess only 10 months back. He always was very drawn to chess and was intrigued by the different pieces. For Jai, Chess is more than just a game, it is a way to express his decision making & management. It has helped him evolve and has given him a fighting spirit. Victory at the chess board has not always been Jia’s top priority but enjoying the game and even learning from mistakes has given him a valuable perspective in life. He now understands the value of experience and hard work, the recent tournament has also given him immense confidence and this has led him to become a determined and competitive player. He looks forward to and enjoys his class and the training sessions. During the pandemic, chess has not only relaxed Jai but helped learn a new perspective. His recent success has made Chess very important to him and given him the determination to showcase his talent and skills and to grow into a better player as he learns more. Thank you very much to his coaches and PCA! “
Coach feedback on Jai :
“Jai is a highly energetic and active boy. He is very passionate about chess. He is always attentive and excited to learn new things. Active nature, passion for chess, and hunger to learn new things make him an astonishing player. He is one of those kids who always want to answer quickly. On top of that, most of his answers are correct. He is very keen to learn new things and also apply them in the games. He justifies the quote given by Rudolf Spielman, “We cannot resist the fascination of sacrifice, since a passion for sacrifice is a part of a chess player’s nature “. Jai loves doing sacrifice on board. And for this reason, we also used to call him The Mikhail Tal (The eighth World Chess Champion) of his batch. The best thing I like about him is that he participates in the practice sessions regularly and always tries to perform well. I feel very happy seeing Jai’s improvement and I hope he excels, even more. “
Few games of Jai :
https://lichess.org/zIByUK3D/black#28
2. Pragyan Saxena
“Pragyan is just a 6-year old very naughty but absolutely fun-loving and caring boy. It’s just been 2 months since Pragyan was enrolled in a chess class with coach Raunak. He literally forgot all other toys and only plays chess with all family members. Initially, he got beaten by us in chess but in the last 1-month 95% of cases, he checkmated all of us. I’m seeing drastic improvement in his concentration level and he enjoys chess like a favorite toy for him. “
Coach feedback on Pragyan :
“Pragyan is a brilliant kid and he’s improving his chess skills day by day. He always stays focused in the class and is very regular with the classes. He loves to do puzzles, apart from that he is very responsive and always answers each and every question asked in the class. My best wishes to you Pragyan, Keep it up !”
Few games of Pragyan :
https://lichess.org/0aV3VIOw/white
https://lichess.org/UhmS7Ull/black
3. Maher Kakkad
“Academy: Came across Premier Chess Academy through a friend’s recommendation and because of general interest in Chess. I find that the academy is very well run and professionally managed – from regular academy wide communications to personal resolutions I have never felt that I’m in the dark. Great concept and great people coming together to establish and run such a fantastic organization. I have seen positive progress in Maher’s overall understanding of the game, the rules and overall attitude about “thinking before the move” which I’m sure will help her in the long term and in wider context too.
Coach: Can’t praise Siddharth enough. Always friendly and jovial; he makes it easier for me as parent to work with and for Maher to be friends with. He has established an amazing relationship of comfort with Maher that she waits for her classes every week. This is especially commendable when they have never met in person. Siddharth has good chess skills of course and great teaching skills which engages kids and helps them learn various aspects of chess in a fun and friendly way.”
Coach feedback on Maher :
“Maher is always joyful and full of energy! She is always before class time and hardly misses any chess class, only 7 years old and very good in tactics in chess. She loves to play a lot with her friends in class and sometimes produces brilliancies over the board! Her best is her attitude, she doesn’t feel bad after losing and always looks for the next game, with such enthusiasm, she is one to watch out for. “
Few games of Maher :
https://lichess.org/i3VwmRr9/white
https://lichess.org/j2OBrPy1/white
4. Ryan Aldrin
“Ryan is a 6 years old fun and very laid back boy. He started to play chess about a year ago with Sunya as his coach. His other hobbies are playing with puzzles and reading books. Sunya has improved his chess skills and if this is kept up he could definitely become a good player. “
Coach feedback on Ryan :
“Ryan is smart enough to grasp the concepts, he is a little bit shy but when he answers any puzzles asked he would correctly do it. In his batch he is the youngest of all and still performs well. His participation in the practice session is definitely helping him to improve his chess skills. Also I wish him all the good luck and success in his chess career. “
Few games of Ryan :
https://lichess.org/KsufDRGw/white#75
https://lichess.org/1JF0HEC4/black
https://lichess.org/O5vSy7g5/white
5. Ioannis Valeontis
“Ioannis (Yannis) is 6 years old and started playing chess during the lockdown, mainly with his father and on iPad. He loved strategic thinking and the fact that a win against the odds is often possible. He has benefited significantly from the lessons, as learning some basic tactics and strategies can make the game more fun and not as daunting. Sometimes he is a bit impatient with his moves and doesn’t think twice before a solid attack, but recently he has started considering a few moves ahead and the opponent’s thinking. His main difficulty at the moment is finding a friend to play against, so he enjoys the practice tournaments a lot with the back-to-back games. He is looking forward to the day he will win his first tournament! “
Coach feedback on Ioannis :
“Ioannis is a passionate and talented chess player who loves to play and practice chess. He has shown potential to perform well in the theory classes and practice sessions as well. He is a hard-working kid who takes interest in learning new concepts in chess. His speed of solving puzzles, and approach towards handling the problems are remarkable. My best wishes to Ioannis. Keep improving yourself and I am sure that you will achieve more heights in the future. “
Few games of Ioannis :
https://lichess.org/Ewojlsg8/black
https://lichess.org/JcbdtPrH/black
Selection Criteria – November 2021:
- Regular in class and practice sessions.
- Displaying improvement in practices to reach top 3 positions.
- Puzzle solving and tactics findings in regular class.
- Generate quest in chess and regular in assignments.
- Over all – Passion is evident in class, practices, puzzle solving etc.
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