Recognized Supporter
Thomas Medrek
ChessPalace Coaches
ChessPalace Coaches are dedicated in helping our students succeed. Our chess program can help students and players improve, prepare for a tournament, or just have a guide to their chess. Our coaches range from junior instructors to International Grandmaster.
Grandmaster Melikset Khachiyan
GM Melik is the strongest active player and teacher in California. He was a student of the 9th World Champion, Tigran Petrosian and he has taken the style of playing and teaching from his great coach. On the top of his student list is current world #4 Levon Aronian, one of chess’ elites, surpassing an elo 2800+. GM Melik is also the current coach of the U.S. Women’s Olymiad team. Besides teaching, GM Melik’s success has shown over the board. He is a three-time U.S. Championship participant, American Open champion the last three years, and winner of countless of other tournaments.
International Master Jack Peters
IM Jack Peters is an International Master, a renowned chess columnist for the L.A. Times and a coach to adults and young players. He has helped promote chess and inform the public about news and current events through his column in the L.A. Times. As a player, he has fared well against top class American Grandmasters including Bobby Fischer’s second William Lombardy, Pal Benko, Samuel Reshevsky, and Joel Benjamin. He has been Southern California Champion many times over and has won countless local tournaments. In addition, his active tournament play has kept him as one of the top active Southern California players today.
National Master Christian Tanaka
Christian is a volunteer assistant coach at ChessPalace. He has coached and led several ChessPalace camps and group sessions. He has won numerous chess Open tournaments and was the 2010 National High School Champion. In the same year, he was the Southern California High School Champion and represented the state in the Denker Tournament of High School Champions.
Chen Ke
At age 12, she was introduced to chess by a schoolmaster in the primary school. She began taking chess seriously at the age of 14 and began receiving formal training. By 1999 she had already won the Shenzhen Junior Chess Championship and finished third Under-14 at the National Chess Open in China. In 2000, she again finished third in the Hope League Chess Contest in China and became a professional chess player in the World Chess Federation and received an elo rating of 2140. Now, Chen Ke ranks #36 amongst active female player in China and ranks #152 of all active female players in Asia in the World Chess Federation.
Alfred Ong
Alfred is the current ChessPalace head coach. He helped the St. Linus school team take two podium finishes for two consecutive years at the All American Cup in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was part of the University High School chess team that won the State Championship. He has won several open tournaments such as the Continental Open, Pacific Coast Open, and Pacific Southwest Open. He is teaching most of the ChessPalace private lessons and the groups in Irvine. He is the ChessPalace scholastic and chess camp director. His notable students include two International Youth representatives, a Southern California K-3 Champion, and an Amateur Scholastic Team sectional champions in 2011.
Aldrich Ong
Aldrich is the regular ChessPalace coach. In 2009, he finished second in his section at the Pacific Coast Open. In the same year, he led his high school team to victory in the Southern California High School Championship and shortly after went to Nationals in Nashville, Tennesse. He served as an volunteer instructor at the University Park Chess Club for more than four years. He is currently studying to become an engineer and has received numerous scholarship awards.
Anthony Ong
Anthony is the former ChessPalace head coach and the current coach advisor. In 1995, he was the K-3 primary National Champion, going 7-0. He led St. Linus school to two All American Cup podium finish along with an individual podium finish. In 2006, he led University High School to their first State Championships. He trained two nationals representative and one national champion. He has directed numerous national events and was the head organizer of the 2010 Super States Chess Championships that broke the Southern California record for scholastic attendance. He has served the Southern California Chess Federation board and scholastic committee.
Announcements
Club Tournament scheduled on January 22. The four invited clubs are ChessPalace, Hemet Chess Club, San Diego Chess Club, and La Palma Chess Club. Details Here.
The USCF-rated Blitz tournament scheduled on January 22 will comprise of strong players. Advance entries.
Winter Scholastic tournament is on February 12. Details and Registration here.
Player of the Month
December-Karl Tolentino
November-John W. Wright
October-Shyam Gandhi
September-Jim Diamond
August-Mark Adams
July-David Portwood
June-Sam Chou
May-Pablo Pena
April-Wesley Walsh
March-Craig Hilby
February-Albert Lu
January-Jeff Phillips
Store/Club Hours
Wed 12 pm - 9 pm
Fri 10 am - 10 pm
Sat 10 am -10 pm
Sun 10 am - 6 pm
Mon, Tue, Thu by appointment