By Seojin Ha

While many students her age are studying for exams over the weekend, Westview High School’s Zoey Tang is in the air, traveling to chess tournaments, practicing chess puzzles, and expanding her nonprofit. Oh, did I forget to mention she’s a Woman Grandmaster, the highest chess title for female chess players?

Zoey’s impressive chess journey started at seven years old. “I learned the rules at the local library, and then I really developed my love of chess in my elementary school,” she said. “At Hope Chinese Charter School, we had a small chess club, but we’ve won the state team championship at least three years in a row.”

What started as an after-school activity bloomed into a strong passion. After training with her private coach, she eventually became the 2023 and 2024 Oregon Chess Champion. Some people would be bogged down by such excessive dedication to one endeavor, but her family is all-in on all that she does. “I don’t have to worry about anything else besides academics and my chess improvements,” she reflects. Mom and Dad help with all the travel logistics regarding tournaments around the world. 

As you might have guessed, she is extremely busy. Juggling school, homework, and coached chess lessons, she spends her free time doing even more chess: solving puzzles, viewing world championship games, playing games to improve her craft.

But Zoey doesn’t only focus on herself to better her chess game. In 2021, she started Puddletown Chess, a nonprofit organization aimed at providing chess equity opportunities for students across the state. The organization hosts their own chess tournaments (with more than 100 participants), free online seminars, training programs, and weekly casual chess nights for young enthusiasts. The next tournament is on May 17 at the Village Church on Murray.

As part of Zoey’s aspirations, she hopes for inclusivity in the broader chess world. “For every girl playing chess, there’s about 10 boys,” she shares. Puddletown has a policy of free tournament entry for girls and those in underrepresented or low-income communities. “That way we encourage more of them to come…and hopefully have some fun.”

In the future, Zoey hopes to go to college—and of course play chess. Whether it be on a collegiate team or just casual games, she intends to use her abilities to inspire others and continue pursuing a chess world of inclusion.