Williams Lake’s Kai Richardson, 12, facing some players almost triple his age, finished 15th during the weekend at the BC Chess Open in Richmond.
Kai won his first match, lost his second and third, won his fourth, then drew his final two matches in the tournament.
His improvement, however, is steadily showing said his dad, Scott Richardson.
“Last year Kai came in 22nd, rated at 1781 (FIDE world ranking),” Scott said. “This year, coming in 15th, he was rated at 2120. In 2014 he came 28th. He played well.”
Kai missed a chance to draw the eventual tournament champion Tanraj Sohol (2383 FIDE ranking) in his second round.
“Tanraj has won the BC Chess Open tournament three years in a row,” Scott said. “That would have rocked the tournament.”
He then drew John Doknjas (2288 ranking), last year’s second-place BC Chess Open finisher and the 2014 junior under-20 B.C. champion.
“His downfall in the tournament was drawing his nemesis, Luke Pulfer (2036 ranking), who had won the championship game at the 2013 under-10 Canadian championship in Ottawa against him,” Scott said.
“Last November he had drawn John, as well, but then lost to John’s brother, Josh Doknjas (2178), putting Kai third. If he’d drawn Josh, Kai would have won the tournament.”
Kai, who turns 13 next month, will see his next Chess action at the 10th annual Grand Pacific Open in Victoria at the end of March. Last year, roughly 120 players competed at the event.
Planning for this year’s Williams Lake Chess Open is also in the works, Scott noted, adding the tournament will be held in October.
