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Hikaru Nakamura is currently the 19th highest-ranked player in the world with a FIDE rating of 2729 on the July 2010 rating list. Hikaru holds the record for being the youngest American grandmaster ever by earning his title at the age of 15 years 2 months, eclipsing the earlier record set by Bobby Fischer. Previously, Hikaru had set the mark for the youngest American master when he reached that milestone at the age of 10 years 2 1/2 months.
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Pascal Charbonneau is a Canadian Grandmaster who has won the Canadian Open, the Canadian Closed, and has represented Canada at several chess olympiads. Although Pascal has played in many prestigious tournaments and has had many memorable games, perhaps his most notable accomplishment was defeating Viswanathan Anand in the Turin Olympiad, 2006.
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Yan Teplitsky is an International Master who has represented Canada at the Olympiads three times since 1996. Before moving to Canada, Yan Teplitsky studied chess under the famed Russian school run by Mark Dvoretsky. Yan is considered by many to be one of the top five chess players in Canada and in his career has faced some top players including Spraggett, Bacrot, and Kasparov. |
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Jack Yoos is a FIDE Master. Originally from Minnesota, Jack moved to Winnipeg, MB in his twenties and later settled in Vancouver, BC. Since coming to Canada Jack has won provincial championships in Manitoba and British Columbia, and in 2009 Jack tied for 3rd at the Canadian Open along with notable players such as Alexei Shirov and Michael Adams. |
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Robert Sasata is the highest rated player in Saskatchewan and an organizer for the Battle at the Border. Besides being a strong player, Robert has also coached several of Saskatoon's budding masters including Keith MacKinnon and Kevin Me. |
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Keith MacKinnon is Saskatchewan's second highest rated player and the most talented junior to emerge from the Saskatchewan scholastic chess ranks in over ten years. Keith has been gaining a wealth of chess experience lately with events in the United States, Europe, and all over Canada. |
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Richard Wang is currently the second best U12 player in the world after his phenomenal showing in Turkey last year. Ranked #27 out of 142 boys going into the event with a projected score of 5.5/11, Richard exceeded expectations with 8.5/11 - missing first place by only half a point. |
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Alex Yam is a chess master from Calgary, Alberta who recently defeated FM Eric Hansen (2500+) at the Over 1800 tournament in Edmonton. Alex has also faced GM Alexei Shirov in over-the-board play. |
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Vlad Rekhson is a highly respected player, tournament director and arbitre with chess in Alberta. In 2005 and 2009 Vlad was an organizer for the Canadian Open, and beginning in 2006 Vlad helped bring FIDE norm opportunities to Alberta with the creation of the Edmonton International event. |
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Roy Yearwood is a mainstay tournament player in Western Canadian chess circles, but more than that, Roy is the Battle Veteran, having attended every Battle at the Border tournament since its inception (while not being a member of the organizing committee). Roy truly understands what the Battle at the Border is about, and we are very pleased to attract players of his calibre to our tournament year after year. |
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David Zhang is a very promising junior player from Calgary. David has represented Alberta at the National chess championships and is now focussed on attaining a +2200 CFC rating. |
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Brad Willis is the former Edmonton Chess Club champion, and a frequent competitor in Alberta chess circles. In his last two events, Brad has achieved performance ratings of 2250 and 2325 respectively and gone 6.5/9 against some of Alberta's best players. |
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Jamin Gluckie is the creator, organizer, and webmaster for the Battle at the Border. Known for pushing the envelope both on and off the board, Jamin is believed to be the only chess tournament organizer who has inadvertently triggered a bomb scare in downtown Toronto in order to provide souvenirs to BATB participants. Please do not try that at home. |
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Aaron Sequillion is the most active player in Alberta, and one of the most active players in all of Canada. Aaron is also a respected tournament director for chess in Alberta and a player who has improved markedly over the past two years, gaining several hundred rating points during that time. |
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Sean Perron is an active player within Alberta chess circles. This will be Sean's first Battle at the Border tournament. |
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Mike Zeggelaar is another Battle veteran who has attended every Battle at the Border. Mike is also one of the most active tournament players in Alberta and a dedicated tournament director and organizer too. |
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Roger Blum is a tournament organizer, player and webmaster for the Saskatoon Chess Club. Recently Roger has initiated a program in a Saskatoon elementary school to increase chess interest and awareness. Roger has also played in two previous BATBs. |
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Len Steele is a chess player from Edmonton, Alberta. |
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Bill Bentley is a chess player from Calgary, Alberta. |
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Rick Pedersen is an avid chess player, long time member of the Edmonton Chess Club, and a frequent visitor of the Battle at the Border. |
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David Steer is the former President of the Saskatoon Chess Association, as well as an organizer for the Battle at the Border. |
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Terry Chaisson is an organizer for the Battle at the Border who was responsible for fundraising and coordinating events in Lloydminster. |
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Chris Achtemichuk is the Treasurer for the Saskatoon Chess Club and the Saskatchewan Chess Association, as well as an avid club player. |
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Jason Danner is an avid chess player in Saskatchewan chess circles, as well as a prominent supporter of the Battle. Jason has attended two out of the three previous BATB tournaments. |
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Kristofor Amundson is a former Team Saskatchewan representative at the Canadian Youth Chess Championships. |
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Tyler Janzen is an organizer for the Battle at the Border. Tyler helped advertise and promote the Battle, as well as raise money to fly our featured players to the tournament. As President of the Saskatchewan Chess Association, Tyler also served as a liason between Alberta and Saskatchewan chess circles. |
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Jon Drury is another Battle veteran who regularly attends the BATB and manages to bring his entire family with him as well. In fact, the Drury family typically arranges their vacation around the Battle at the Border and we are very happy to welcome them to Lloydminster once again. |
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Tim Kowalyk was the Grade 12 provincial chess champion of Saskatchewan before the advent of the digital clock, and also the person who suggested BATB organizers accept Paypal for payment of entry fees. |
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Jason Xiao is one of the Saskatoon Chess Club's up and coming junior players who has improved his game markedly over the last year, largely due to hard work and time spent with his coach. |
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Nigel Reynoldson is a member of the Saskatchewan scholastic provincial team who has represented his province at National competitions for the past several years. This year Nigel was responsible for one of the largest upsets in Canadian Chess Challenge history when he defeated a player more than 1200 rating points above him! |
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Donnie McLeod is Fraser McLeod's father and although his interest in chess likely originated because of his son's talent for it, his participation in this year's Battle signifies that he might be as addicted to chess as the rest of us! Donnie is also an advisor for two school chess clubs in Saskatoon. |
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Fraser McLeod is one of Saskatchewan's most talented up and coming junior players. This year Fraser placed 7th in Grade 3 at the National competition in Montreal, and Fraser has represented Saskatchewan in National competitions in the previous two years as well. |
