2014 U.S. Junior Closed Championship Player Bios

Kayden Troff

Title: 
Grandmaster
Rating: 
2573
Federation: 
West Jordan, Utah
Age: 
16
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
GM Title Awarded in May 2014; 2012: U14 World Youth Championship Gold Medal; 2010: U12 World Youth Championship Silver Medal; 2009: U12 North American Championship Gold Medal

Sam Sevian

Title: 
International Master
Rating: 
2545
Federation: 
Southbridge, Mass.
Age: 
13
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
2014 Saint Louis Invitational - GM Norm; 2014 Foxwoods Open - GM Norm; 2012: U12 World Youth Championship Gold Medal

Aleksandr Ostrovskiy

Title: 
International Master
Rating: 
2521
Federation: 
New York City
Age: 
18
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
2010: Youngest-ever NY State Champion (14) [record broken by Nicolas Checa, 11, in 2013]; 2007: North American Youth Champion

Luke Harmon-Vellotti

Title: 
International Master
Rating: 
2515
Federation: 
Boise, Idaho
Age: 
15
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
Finished Freshman Year at UCLA at age 15; 1st Place National Open 2008 (U2100 Section); 5-time All-American Chess Team member

Jeffrey Xiong

Title: 
International Master
Rating: 
2513
Federation: 
Coppell, Texas
Age: 
13
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
2014 Chicago Open: GM Norm; 2010 World Youth Chess Championships Silver Medal

Michael Bodek

Title: 
FIDE Master
Rating: 
2486
Federation: 
New Rochelle, New York
Age: 
16
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
GM Norm: 2013 NY International; 2012 U.S. Cadet Championship

Arthur Shen

Title: 
FIDE Master
Rating: 
2458
Federation: 
Edison, New Jersey
Age: 
17
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
2011 U.S. Cadet Championship; 2013 USCF All-America Chess Team; Recognized by the U.S. Chess Trust as a 2014 Scholar Chess Player Award winner.

Joshua Colas

Title: 
National Master
Rating: 
2426
Federation: 
White Plains, New York
Age: 
15
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
Holds Record as youngest-ever African-American Chess Master (preceded by Justus Williams); 2013 New York State High School Chess Champion; USCF All-American: 2010-2013

Justus Williams

Title: 
FIDE Master
Rating: 
2366
Federation: 
New York City
Age: 
16
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
2013 U.S. Junior Open Champion; Set record as youngest-ever African-American Chess Master in 2012 (subsequently broken by Joshua Colas); 2012, 2011, 2010 U.S. All American Team, member of 2012 National High School Championship team

Matt Larson

Title: 
National Master
Rating: 
2215
Federation: 
Saint Louis, Missouri
Age: 
17
Status: 
Accepted
Chess Highlights: 
Undefeated performance at North American Open in Las Vegas: 2013