Bio
Zoey Tang was the Founder and President of Puddletown Chess until January 2026. She has the FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster. Zoey was a two-time Oregon state champion (2023 and 2024). She was the youngest-ever and first female state champion in Oregonian history. Zoey is a 2025 Samford Fellow and the 2025 US Girls Champion. As of August 2025, Zoey was the highest rated girl for her age in the world.
Chess is a beautiful and complex game, and Zoey was excited to teach it to other people who may not have picked it up otherwise. In addition, she looks forward to seeing more competition-level players in Oregon. Zoey had a wide variety of experience in teaching, from serving as a coach to writing articles for the American Chess Magazine. Besides chess, Zoey also enjoys playing the piano, studying math, playing tennis, and reading.
Chess Achievements
- Champion – 2025 US Girls’ Junior Championship
- 2025 Samford Fellow
- Bronze – 2025 Pan-American Junior Championship (open under 20)
- Co-Champion – 2024 Continental Women Championship
- Champion – 2024 Oregon Open
- Champion – 2024 Haring National Tournament of Girls’ State Champions
- Tied 5th – 2024 Women’s American Cup ($10k prize!!)
- Champion – 2023 North American Junior Championship (G20)
- Champion – 2023 Pan-American Youth Championship (G16)
- 3rd place – 2023 US Girls’ Junior Championship
- Champion – 2023 + 2024 Oregon Closed Championship (first female + youngest champion)
- Champion – 2022 North American Youth Chess Championship (G18)
- 2nd place – 2022 Haring National Tournament of Girls State Champions
- Champion – 2021 North American Youth Chess Championship (G14)
- Co-Champion – 2021 National US Womens Open tournament
- Champion – 2021 Oregon Junior Closed invitational tournament
- 3rd place – 2021 Oregon Closed Championship invitational tournament
- Silver medal – 2020 FIDE World online international Championships (G12)
- Champion – 2020 US Chess/Chesskid Online Elementary Championship (K-6)
- 2nd place – 2019 17th Annual Susan Polgar Girl’s invitational tournament
- U.S. Qualifier – 2017-2024 World Youth and Cadets Championship tournaments
- Champion – OSCF State Championship Platinum Sections (multiple times)