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Eighth Grader Makes History at State Chess Tournament

Arjun '24 poses with his Ohio Chess Championship trophies.
Eighth Grader Makes History at State Chess Tournament

Competing against some of the strongest chess players in the state, Old Trail School eighth grader Arjun '24 became one of the youngest state champions in the history of the Ohio Chess Congress (OCC) this month.

The open tournament featured 132 players of all ages, including seasoned opponents over 25 and some older than 70. Arjun, who doesn’t turn 14 until December, won 4.5 of 5 games in his run to the title. His name will be engraved on the Columbus Trophy, which has been presented to the top chess player in Ohio since 1945.

According to historian David Friedman, Arjun is one of only three players under the age of 15 to win the championship and one of only five non-masters ever to achieve this feat. The Ohio Chess Congress tournament first took place in 1887.

Although the majority of players were from Ohio, this year’s tournament also featured competitors from the surrounding states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky and New York. The competition was hosted at the Cherry Valley Hotel in Newark, Ohio, from August 31 to September 1. 

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