Awonder Liang

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  • Awonder Liang

    Awonder Liang, who just turned 10 this past April, and fresh off his 3rd place finish in Toronto's NAYCC U18! (talk about playing up) division, is featured in the following news item today.

    http://www.news-record.com/news/loca...9bb30f31a.html

    There's absolutely no question about Awonder's perhaps unparalleled potential, but I suppose the question must be raised can that full potential indeed be realized with only seemingly "a strong class A" (not mentioned in this news item) coach, his father? Or is 10 pounds of books sufficient compensation?

  • #2
    Re : Awonder Liang

    Why doesn't the USCF provide him a coach and some money for his tournaments? We would do it without hesitation here...

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Awonder Liang

      Awonder's brother's name is "Adream". I bet those names would be challenged in Quebec.

      http://www.nancy.cc/2009/10/12/names...-cest-un-ange/

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Re : Awonder Liang

        Originally posted by Felix Dumont View Post
        Why doesn't the USCF provide him a coach and some money for his tournaments? We would do it without hesitation here...
        What do you mean by "here"? Montreal or Canada?

        Comment


        • #5
          Re : Re: Re : Awonder Liang

          Well, he would definitely get support in Quebec, but I can't believe that such a prodigy wouldn't receive support elsewhere in Canada. CMA used to have a program for talented young players (bursaries for titles, if my memory is good), but not anymore. Still, the CFC has a pretty big CFC youth fund and sponsors/donations shouldn't be hard to find. Obviously, this is for an extremely rare prodigy, not for every promising player.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Re : Re: Re : Awonder Liang

            Originally posted by Felix Dumont View Post
            Well, he would definitely get support in Quebec, but I can't believe that such a prodigy wouldn't receive support elsewhere in Canada. CMA used to have a program for talented young players (bursaries for titles, if my memory is good), but not anymore. Still, the CFC has a pretty big CFC youth fund and sponsors/donations shouldn't be hard to find.
            Well, I can tell you from my own experience that CFC didn't help my son with a penny. In fact I had to pay an extra $300 contribution in 2012 so he can participate to WYCC in Slovenia.
            This year is the same story, CFC asked for money again.
            "Please be advised that your petition to participate in the 2013 WYCC has been approved by the CFC executive. In order to proceed, however, you are each expected to make a $300 contribution to the Youth Fund, which is primarily used to support annual WYCC activities."

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            • #7
              Re: Re : Re: Re : Awonder Liang

              Originally posted by Felix Dumont View Post
              the CFC has a pretty big CFC youth fund and sponsors/donations shouldn't be hard to find.
              A comedian! You are hilarious!

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              • #8
                Re: Awonder Liang

                Originally posted by Hugh Brodie View Post
                Awonder's brother's name is "Adream". I bet those names would be challenged in Quebec.

                http://www.nancy.cc/2009/10/12/names...-cest-un-ange/
                Awonder also has a younger chess-playing brother named Able, a rather precipitous decline from Adream and Awonder (:

                Tangentially, I can tell you that Ontario rejected my own son's name, the mathematical symbol for pi, and that ultimately we had to settle upon Pi.
                Last edited by Jack Maguire; Friday, 30th August, 2013, 11:03 AM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Re : Re: Re : Awonder Liang

                  He didn't win the section he played.
                  Gary Ruben
                  CC - IA and SIM

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re : Re: Awonder Liang

                    Rene,
                    Your son progression is rather recent, so the comparison is hard to do, although it's definitely sad to see there's no support at all.

                    Awonder is not only World Champion and FM, but also had a rating of about 2300 (USCF) at the age of 9, which is incredible. Obviously, we never got such a prodigy in Canada (although Jason Cao is also World Champion, but 3 years older).


                    I must maintain, Robert, that finding sponsors and donations for such a prodigy in Canada would not be hard. And I was also saying the truth about the CFC youth fund. There was some surplus this year, and if we had such a player, there's no doubt he would benefit from it.

                    @Gary : He played in the U18 while being 9 years old.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Re : Re: Re : Awonder Liang

                      Originally posted by Rene Preotu View Post
                      In fact I had to pay an extra $300 contribution in 2012 so he can participate to WYCC in Slovenia. This year is the same story, CFC asked for money again.
                      Rene, are you trying to have it both ways? Your son didn't play in the CYCC, which is the qualifying tournament for the Canadian team, but you want him to play for Canada anyway.

                      Maybe CYCC should not be the qualifying tournament (I don't think they have an equivalent event in the US, for example), but that's what our beloved CFC has decreed. You gotta play by the rules. Or work to change the rules.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Awonder Liang

                        Originally posted by Jack Maguire View Post
                        Tangentially, I can tell you that Ontario rejected my own son's name, the mathematical symbol for pi, and that ultimately we had to settle upon Pi.
                        Just imagine the face of a "non" math person trying to read your son's name

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Re : Re: Awonder Liang

                          Originally posted by Felix Dumont View Post
                          I must maintain, Robert, that finding sponsors and donations for such a prodigy in Canada would not be hard.
                          Yes Felix, you're absolutely correct. Finding sponsors is easy.
                          At the Mississauga Open last weekend, we had over 100 sponsors and raised $600 for our child prodigy, Razvan Preotu. :o

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Re : Re: Re : Awonder Liang

                            Originally posted by John Coleman View Post
                            Rene, are you trying to have it both ways? Your son didn't play in the CYCC, which is the qualifying tournament for the Canadian team, but you want him to play for Canada anyway.

                            Maybe CYCC should not be the qualifying tournament (I don't think they have an equivalent event in the US, for example), but that's what our beloved CFC has decreed. You gotta play by the rules. Or work to change the rules.
                            John,

                            I don't want to start a new debate about CYCC. All I said is that CFC doesn't use the money from the Youth Fund to help top junior players. Is the other way.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Awonder Liang

                              By "Youth Fund" do you mean the "Pugi Fund"? Any junior is eligible to apply for a grant from the Pugi Fund - usually between $500 and $1000 is distributed annually - but you have to apply for it.

                              From the CFC Handbook:

                              "1008. KALEV PUGI FUND - The will of former Chess Federation of Canada President Kalev Pugi bequested $10,000 to the Chess Foundation of Canada to be set aside as a seperate fund called the "Kalev Pugi Chess Education Fund". Subsequent donations have increased this amount to $20,000 (as of 2009). The income generated from that fund is to go toward assisting young Canadian chess players under the age of 18 years to travel to chess competitions and tournaments for the purpose of increasing their chess playing skills and education.

                              It is the responsibility of the Chess Foundation of Canada to manage the money in accordance with the terms of the will. At the Annual General Meeting of the Chess Federation of Canada each year, a committee of three persons is elected to select any players for assistance from the fund that have a need and meet the qualifications under the terms of the will. Applications from or on behalf of eligible recipients may be submitted to the Board of Trustees via the CFC at any time."

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