- Title: USA: FOUR YEAR OLD ERIC LIAO IS THE YOUNGEST CHESS CHAMPION IN THE USA
- Date: 13th February 2002
- Summary: RANDOLPH, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. ERIC LIAO AND FATHER KEN PLAYING TABLE SOCCER 2. ERIC LIAO PLAYING GAME 3. ERIC STANDING ON FOOT STOOL 4. ERIC POINTING TO CHESS TROPHIES HE HAS WON 5. ERIC MOVING CHESS PIECE 6. ERIC LOOKING AT BOARD 7. LIAO FAMILY 8. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) KEN LIAO SAYING: "Well he started doing puzzles when he was two and actually he was very good at it. But my wife actually taught him to play chess when he was 3. In a few months he was beating us that when we realized perhaps that he had something special." NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 13, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. ADVANCED CHESS TOURNAMENT AT THE MARSHAL CLUB 10. ERIC PLAYING CHESS MATCH 11. ERIC EXAMINING CHESS BOARD 12. CHESS TIME CLOCK 13. ERIC WINNING HIS MATCH 14. ERIC TICKLING HIS CHESS COACH DEAN IPPOLITO 15. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) IPPOLITO SAYING: "Right now he loves it so much, it is easy to teach him and he loves to learn about the game I can see him go very far." 16. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) ERIC LIAO SAYING: "I going to beat him (Dean) when I am 5." DEAN SAYING: "Oh yeah, we will see about that." 17. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) IPPOLITO: "I have never heard of anybody so young that has started playing in Chess tournaments and started succeeding so early on. Even the best players in the country are 5,6, or 7 before they start showing potential already but he is showing that at 4." 18. ERIC BRAGGING ABOUT DEFEATING AN ADULT IN TODAY'S TOURNAMENT 19. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) DAVID LOCK FROM MANHATTAN SAYING: "It is somewhat humbling, but he is a very good 4-year-old." 18. VARIOUS OF FINAL ROUND Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th February 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: RANDOLPH, NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVABYL6ZFPUDSLR6N6YS7B3S14RP
- Story Text: American Eric Liao is the youngest chess champion in
the United States. After winning the Junior National Chess
Championships in Dallas recently, the 4-year old from
Randolph, New Jersey is on the road to becoming the next Bobby
Fischer.
Eric Liao is a typical 4-year old playing spending his
days running around the house, playing table soccer with his
father or going to see his favorite movie "Monster, Inc."
But most days, the Randolph, New Jersey native spends his
time playing chess with his 6 year old brother, Alexander. And
this is not just fun and games for Eric. He quickly becomes
confident and stares opponents in the eye as he makes each
move.
Eric's father Ken Liao, an anaesthesiologist, is amazed my
his talent. "Well, he started doing puzzles when he was 2
and actually he was very good at it," he said. "But my wife
actually taught him to play chess when he was 3. In a few
months he was beating us and that is when we realized perhaps
that he had something special."
Eric is the youngest chess champion in the country. Less
than a month ago he won the kindergarten title (ages 5) at the
National Grade School Chess Championships in Dallas with a
perfect score of 6.0. Those who have watched him play are
fascinated by his ability to remain focused during tournaments
that can often run hours at a time.
One the key reasons for Eric's enthusiasm for the game is
his 23-year-old coach, Dean Ippolito, who at the age of 13 won
the U.S. amateur title.
"Right now he loves it so much, it is easy to teach him and he loves to
learn about the game. I can see him go very far," he said.
Eric thinks he will beat his coach soon.
" I going to beat him (Dean) when I am 5," he said.
Ippolito is impressed how a child so young can do so well.
"I have never heard of anybody so young that has started
playing in chess tournaments and started succeeding so early
on," he said. "Even the best players in the country are 5, 6,
or 7 before they start showing potential already but he is
showing that at 4."
Eric was all smiles when he defeated 41-year-old David
Lock of Manhattan.
"It is somewhat humbling, but he is a very good 4-year
old," said Lock.
Bobby Fischer once held the record for being the youngest
national chess master, when he earned that title in 1958 at
age 10. Eric is the youngest player in the last decade to win
a national title in the kindergarten section.
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