just 17 events and that was enough to give him first place in the 2015 US Chess Junior Grand Prix. The US Chess Junior Grand Prix is a year- long program and it is easy to participate. Just play in JGP- designated


events (usually a slower time control) and you


And the gold T


en and a half year old Jack Silver of New Jersey amassed 10,951 points in


Jack Silver


earn points every time you draw or beat a higher rated player. Jack played in just 17 JGP events in 2015, but if US Chess still had most active lists, Jack would certainly be at the top of that list as well, since he has played in over 140 events in just over a year! Jack and his brother Charlie (9) both learned the game from their father, Michael, a school teacher. Charlie is more interested in music and art, but Jack caught the chess bug when his afterschool chess coach Robert Kraynik invited then third grader Jack to play an unrated tournament with their middle school team—and Jack won fourth place! Jack, Charlie and their dad played at the World Amateur Team Championship (USATE) for various teams


16 April 2016 www.uschess.org


GM Michael Rohde, John Moldovan, and Errol Singh. Last year Jack’s team won the


best costume award as “Saturday Knight Fever” and this year at the USATE, his team won the best chess gimmick as “The Knockout Knights”.


No One Trick Pony! Jack is by no means a one trick pony. He is currently on a “sabbatical year”, taking the fifth grade off from the Wardlaw- Hartridge School. Why? In order to finish his novel—why else! That’s right. He is finishing his novel, learning the process of writing, re-writing and editing. The working title is Baby Lourde—about the adventures of babies who are actually super geniuses!


Grandmaster Yudasin stresses


goes to Silver!


sponsored by Chessmates in Rahway, where Jack takes lessons from rotating teachers including owner and LM Arthur Macaspac, GM Leonid Yudasin,


creative thinking in his chess lessons and that fits right in with Jack’s writing ambitions. Jack’s mom, Francine, a licensed psychologist and personal/ business coach, reports how Jack feels about tournament chess: “I love the challenge. There are physical limits to the body in other sports, but in chess, it’s all up to the mind. I mean,


you can train your body to compete in other sports. But in


chess, a kid can train his mind to play at the same level as the best 30-year-olds and 70-year-olds.” That’s a pretty good


observation by a ten-year-old! But after visiting Jack and Charlie’s website, it isn’t surprising at all. Check out www.jackandcharliesmultiverse. com. It’s a great blog and a great way to raise money for children’s charities.


Michael Silver and ... Jack?!


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