This past weekend, Puddletown Chess celebrated our 2nd anniversary with our players, parents, coaches, and volunteers. Since our founding, we have remained committed to promoting accessibility in chess, ensuring that all players—regardless of background—have access to this incredible game.
So far this year, we have donated $16,000 to directly support young Oregon players. In line with our mission, Puddletown continues to provide free entry to our regular tournaments for girls, low-income, and rural participants. This year, we also expanded our programs by offering a weekly free Lichess arena, while continuing our training program and monthly webinars.
None of this would be possible without the dedication of our remarkable team and the support of our players, their families, and the coaches who contribute their time and expertise. In our 2nd anniversary event, special awards were given to the following players, volunteers and coaches:
Relentless Competitor Award: for students who have participated in most Puddletown tournaments. This award celebrates their competitive spirit, dedication, and consistent pursuit of improvement.
Ivy Chen
Sharanya Pingale
Rajvi Das
Krish Patel
Bohan Li
James Okamoto
August Tong
Lucas Maokhampio
William Ho
Faithful Scholar Award: honors a student who has consistently participated in the training program from the very beginning without any interruptions. This award recognizes their dedication, commitment to growth, and celebrating their learning journey.
Matisse Jamil
Beatrix Khan
Jocelyn Cattone
Jeremiah Xiao
Saanvi Shah
Otto Khan
Vincent Xie
Anthony Cheng
Excellence in Growth Award: presented to a student in the training program who has shown the most significant improvement over time. This award celebrates the student’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to learning, recognizing their remarkable progress in skill development and overall performance in chess.
Matisse Jamil
Beatrix Khan
Sophia Ting
Tristan Hao
Coach Appreciation Honor: awarded to volunteer coaches who have recently joined and made a strong positive impact in a short time.
Jesse Yan
Karthik Bimod
Yucheng Liang
Ben Tong
Visionary Coach Honor: awarded to volunteer coaches who have completed at least two semesters of service and have made notable contributions to their students’ development.
Ryan Min
Neha Narendran
Aidan Gao
Aditya Chandrasekharan
Mentor of the Year Award: a special recognition given to volunteer coaches who have dedicated over four semesters of service, making a significant impact through their teaching and mentorship.
Ethan Zhang
Vimal Adiraju
