As a “national master” in chess, Lane Tech College Prep High School sophomore Avi Kaplan is in rare company.
Kaplan, 16, is the highest-rated chess player in Chicago Public Schools — and one of just 113 national masters under the age of 18 in the U.S. He earned his title from the U.S. Chess Federation at the 30th Annual Midwest Class Championship, which was held in the fall in Wheeling.
Kaplan’s feat has been reached by only a small fraction of the country’s nearly 67,000 rated chess players. He is Chicago’s only master player under the age of 18.
“It felt really great to reach my goal,” Kaplan said. “I was excited, but it didn’t feel real at first.”
Dan Lucas, a spokesperson for the U.S. Chess Federation, says it is unusual for anyone, let alone a teenager, to achieve the national master title.
“Only 1.8% of all active players are masters, and only 10.8% of these masters are under the age of 18,” Lucas said.
Kaplan received the national master title after a decade playing chess. He began playing in first grade and has been practicing ever since.
“I started playing chess because I thought it was a unique club,” Kaplan said. “Although it turned out to be beneficial for school-related things, like math classes.”
Kaplan said he enjoys playing chess because there is always something new to learn and someone new to meet. He has also devoted many hours to the Chicago Chess Center with the local chess community.
“I spend many of my weekends at the chess center practicing and learning from others, and it feels like a second home to me,” Kaplan said.
Bill Brock, president of the Chicago Chess Center, says Kaplan excels in his game with a combination of raw calculating power, intuition and judgment.
Kaplan spends many of his Fridays and Saturdays at the Chicago Chess Center, where he volunteers and competes in tournaments.
The center, at 47 W. Polk St., offers a place to play chess for people of all ages, with players ranging from beginners to grandmasters. Before the center opened its South Loop location in August, Chicago was the only one of the 10 largest metropolitan areas to not have a similar center.
“Avi is a passionate kid,” Brock said. “He volunteers and plays frequently at the center; he demonstrates maturity levels that many 16-year-olds do not typically have, and I hope to see more kids like him join us at the center.”
Kaplan says he plays chess for a couple of hours every day and is also involved in the Lane Tech chess club. When he has tournaments coming up, he can practice for up to 20 to 30 hours per week.
He says the activity has been great for his confidence.
“The confidence it gave me has made me a better player and person because your game is never perfect; it taught me that there is always room to learn,” he said.
He knows he has a long way to go — and encourages others to try the game.
“I still have a lot to learn, but I like to have fun while I’m learning,” Kaplan said. “Chess can be fun for anyone, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to try it.”
Lucas hopes more students follow Kaplan’s lead,
“With the way young players soak up chess knowledge, there is little doubt that our future top players will be teens,” Lucas said. “Chess is not only good for the mind but also teaches many skills.”
