Little wiz

My darling cuz Ryan on the Sunday Times - Perth. I gotta say I am indeed VERY proud of him. Bursting with pride and this overwhelming feeling. A wiz at chess..pure genius and embarrassing as it is.. I'm not even at beginners level..... yes tsk tsk... I see many frowning in disapproval I'm more then half his age yet..........anyway that aside, his dad and mum must be grinning from ear to ear at this, well even I am :D

Who wouldn't..? The youngest player amongst all... was in awe the very first time I saw him compete in Perth in a room of adults.... this kid will never cease to amaze me. Impeccable skills and language to boot.

Young player shows his mastery of the board

SMART COOKIE: Ryan Sam, 10, the under 18 state chess champion. Picture: Richard Hatherly

Braden Quartermaine

April 19, 2008 05:00pm

WA is bursting with ultra-talented pint-sized chess players, led by 10-year-old whiz-kid Ryan Sam.

Ryan, a Year 5 student at Canning Vale Primary School, stunned onlookers this week when he took out the under-18 division at the WA Junior Chess Championships.

Taught the game by his father when he was five, Ryan dreams of becoming a chess grandmaster. He said he was not daunted taking on much older players, but was surprised to win. "I like it because of the strategical thinking and tactics,'' he said.

His father, Raymond Sam, said Ryan's success was driven by his love of the game.

WA Chess Association president and former champion Haydn Barber said he first noticed Ryan when he played in an adult tournament at the age of eight. "His play was very original and it was obvious that he had great potential,'' Mr Barber said.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23566016-2761,00.html