Hong Kong teen Kao chasing chess master status after historic victory in Spain tournament
- Jamison Kao believes he can reach candidate master ranking sooner than expected after winning Christmas event
- The 14-year-old paused school to play in the Asian Games last year, and will continue to focus on chess for next several months
Hong Kong teen Jamison Kao believes he can become a chess candidate master sooner than expected after becoming the first Asian to win a prestigious event in Spain.
The 14-year-old racked up six wins and three draws on his way to finishing third in the B Group Sub-2000 category at the Gran Hotel Bali International Chess Festival in Benidorm last month, before taking the Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival title in style just before Christmas.
Competing against 101 players from 30 countries in Barcelona, Kao’s victory marked a historic moment, with the Hongkonger becoming the first winner from Asia in the tournament’s 10-year history.
“Winning these major tournaments means a lot to me as it is one of my first major victories overseas,” he said. “It was a very exciting experience playing for the championship and I have learned many new things during this trip.”
The candidate master ranking is the first rung on a ladder that the game’s best players must climb if they want to reach the ultimate position of grandmaster, occupied by the likes of Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world champion.
