Taking The Chess Academy to the Global Stage

Taking The Chess Academy to the Global Stage

At The Chess Academy, we believe the true measure of a chess program is not found in a trophy case, but in the horizons it opens for its students. As Hong Kong’s number one chess program, led by the city’s only two Grandmasters and an International Master, our mission is to create a path that allows our players to step onto the world stage with confidence.

A Historic International Debut in Hong Kong

This past June was truly a landmark moment for Hong Kong chess. The city proudly hosted the FIDE World Team Rapid & Blitz Championship, a once‑in‑a‑lifetime event that brought the world’s greatest players to our home. The Chess Academy was honored to represent Hong Kong by fielding two competitive teams, led by Four Grand Masters – two of resident TCA GM and two invited GM, marking a milestone in our journey to the global stage.

Team A was led by TCA GM Andres Gallego and GM Jamie Cuartas, joined by Jake Chong, CM Henry Li, Paul Nguyen, Krishiv Shah, WIM Melissa Castrillon, Chloe Lau, and FM Felipe Escobar. Team B featured TCA GM Manuel Pena and GM David Shengelia alongside Justin Cheng, Ben Han, CM Thanneermalai Kannappan, WIM Jenny Chirivi, FM Ulysse Bottazzi, FM Niilo Man Nissinen, and Marissa Lee. Together, these two lineups showcased the depth and diversity of talent at The Chess Academy, blending seasoned professionals with rising young players.

Testing Our Talent Against the Titans

The experience was both humbling and exhilarating. Our teams faced chess royalty:

• TCA Team A battled the powerhouse Uzbek team featuring Nodirbek Abdusattorov and World Championship Challenger Javokhir Sindarov, as well as MGD1 with elite talents Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin.
• TCA Team B endured the ultimate trial by fire against the top‑seeded WR Team, headlined by Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Jan‑Krzysztof Duda, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Aleksandra Goryachkina. They also competed against Chess United, led by former World Champion Viswanathan Anand — with our coach GM Manuel drawing against Vishy — alongside rising stars Jorden van Foreest and Faustino Oro.

These encounters were not just games; they were real‑time masterclasses, accelerating our students’ growth in ways that years of standard training cannot.

Individual Brilliance and Local Success

We are incredibly proud of our student Ben Han, mentored since the age of six, who captured a stunning Gold Medal on Board 8. Domestically, our success continued in the Amateur Rapid Cup, where we fielded two teams and supported an additional Hong Kong team composed of four of our students, finishing in a prestigious 3rd place overall.

The Next Chapter: Leading the Charge to Spain

Our vision does not stop here. This year, we are flying a delegation of four coaches and 15 students to Spain to compete in international opens. We remain the only academy in Hong Kong providing this level of consistent, high‑intensity international exposure. At TCA, we aren’t just building a team for a single tournament; we are building the future of Hong Kong chess. As our flagship training program, Road to Masters, declares — we won’t stop until Hong Kong has its own IM and GM.

Exclusive ChessBase Interview on TCA

Please see a very positive coverage/ review of last month’s World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship by one of the largest chess media in the world – Chessbase India, Please note that there is also a very special tribute given to The Chess Academy, our Founder Grace and Team. 

Source: ChessBase India https://share.google/1TfXYvjcFQGrmwxQ3