Hey everyone, thank you for coming to this fun chess event! Believe it or not, Godfather’s Pizza was actually the birthplace of Puddletown!
It’s incredible to see how much we’ve grown over the last 4 years!
But the growth wasn’t always linear. Over the years, Puddletown has experienced changes I didn’t expect. We have had dozens of setbacks throughout these 4 years.
And instead of slowing us down, those challenges opened the door for new leaders to step forward. Today I want to share a few stories of our growth in just 2026!
At our May tournament, for the first time in our history, we had a tournament led by someone who wasn’t a founder. That might sound like a small thing, but to me it was a major milestone. It showed that leadership at Puddletown is expanding beyond the people who started it.
Thank you, Vedant & congrats for leading the May tournament.
We’ve been incredibly lucky to have Dave Murray as the chief TD behind all of our tournaments! He’s been a well-respected TD and player in the Portland community, and his dedication has made a huge difference for our events! Dave also developed a new chess registration system called “Your Chess Academy”, allowing us to organize events super efficiently. We’re so grateful for all he’s done for us!
Dave is not here today, but we will share this message with him.
Additionally, this year, we’ve introduced a neurodiverse scholarship program. So far, we’ve helped provide financial support for a dozen students experiencing ADHD, autism, or other learning differences. Turns out, they LOVE chess and can pick up the game rapidly, but require structured support, and that’s why Puddletown has stepped in to help them.
Last but not least, in the Spring 2026 term, we’ve built our homework app to help students and coaches alike enjoy the homework process. It has not only increased submission rates to over 90%, but it has also empowered coaches to give personalized feedback to EACH & EVERY student!
Let me share my own backstory about the homework app
Late last year, I actually threatened to quit Puddletown because homework, grading, and providing personalized support was taking a very long time for other coaches and me. However, we realized how important it was for the students to receive this feedback, so my dad and I wrote this app over the Christmas holidays. And we’re so glad to have done that. Today, as a coach, it takes me about 80% less time and still provides great personalized feedback to the students.
Puddletown has changed a lot since those early Godfather’s Pizza days, but the heart of it is still the same: people coming together through chess, learning from one another, and building a community that keeps getting stronger.
