2020/2021 Canadian Chess Player of the Year

[Fred McKim]

Because of the relative lack of organized chess over 2020 and 2021, we've decided to select a single winner for these two years. Call it the Pandemic Champion, if you like. This is also the first time we've considered significant Online FIDE events.

I also think this may be our most difficult selection, based on the 10 candidates we've selected. As we're doing for the 2019 Champion, the ultimate winner will be announced at the 2022 Canadian Open.

Evgeny Bareev
2nd 2021 Canadian Online Zonal Preliminary
Won 2021 Canadian Online World Cup Play-off Match
Lost 2nd Rd 2021 World Cup

Svitlana Demchenko
2nd 2021 Canadian Online Women's Zonal (Qualified for World Cup)
Lost 1st Rd (TB) 2021 Women's World Cup
2020 Online Olympiad Women's Res2 - 1/2 (Final RR)
2020 Online Olympiad Girls Res1 - 2.5/3 (Final RR)
2021 Online Olympiad Girls Bd1 - 4/9 (Final RR)
=5th 2020 Hart House Reading Week Open
=5th 2020 Ottawa Winter Open
2021 Charlotte Open (2370) - 4/9
=3rd 2021 NA Girl's Youth Championship
2nd Bridges of Ingul IM RR (UKR) (2290)
2021 Cherry Blossom Open (USA) (2390) - 4/9

Nikolay Noritsyn
=1st 2020 Hart House Reading Week Open
2020 Online Olympiad Bd1 - 3.5/7 (Final RR)
2021 Online Olympiad Bd1 - 4/9 (Final RR)

Maili-Jade Ouellet
2020 Awarded WGM Title
Lost 1st Rd 2021 Women's World Cup
=1st 2020 Winter Carnaval (QC)
2021 Francophonie Internet Team Bd4 QC - 9/11 (Team = 1st)
2020 Online Olympiad Girl's Bd1 - 2.5/6 (Final RR)
2021 Online Olympiad Women's Bd2 - 3.5/6 (Final RR)
=5th 2020 Online World Youth GU18 Champ.
2021 Women's World Team Champ. Bd3 - 3/6 (FIDE Americas Team)
2021 Charlotte Open (2370) - 4.5/9

Raja Panjwani
=3rd 2021 Canadian Online Zonal Preliminary
Lost 2021 Canadian Online World Cup Play-off Match
2020 Gibraltar Int. Open (2540) - 6.5/10
=4th 2021 CCCSA Holiday Invitational (2430)
2020 Seville Int. Open (ESP) (2290) - 5.5/8
2020 Online Olympiad Res1 - 1/5 (Final RR)

Mark Plotkin
Awarded IM Title
1st 2020 Oakville IM Norm RR (2320)
1st 2021 Banff Open
2nd 2021 Americas World Cup (Preliminaries) Online Qualifier (2430)
Lost 2nd Rd 2021 Americas World Cup Hybrid Qualifier
=7th 2020 CCCSA Holiday GM Norm RR (2440)
7th 2020 CCCSA Winter GM Norm RR (2430)
2020 Online Olympiad Res2 - 2/5 (Final RR)

Victor Plotkin
Lost 2nd Rd 2021 Americas World Cup Hybrid Qualifier
2021 Americas World Cup (Preliminaries) Online Qualifier (2430) - 6/9
=1st 2020 Hart House Reading Week Open
2020 World Team 50+ Champ Bd2 - 6/7
2021 Riga Technical Univ. Open (2430) - 5.5/9
2020 Gibraltar Int. Open (2540) - 5/10
=3rd 2021 Banff Open
2021 World Open (2410) - 5.5/9

Razvan Preotu
1st 2021 Canadian Online Zonal Preliminary
Won 2021 Canadian Online World Cup Play-off Match
2021 Online Olympiad Bd2 - 6/9 (Final RR)
Lost 1st Rd 2021 World Cup
=7th 2021 Charlotte Open (2370)
5th 2021 Southwest Open (2130)

Bator Sambuev
Lost 3rd Rd (TB) 2021 Americas World Cup Hybrid Qualifier
1st 2021 Quebec Invitational
1st 2021 National Capital Open
1st 2020 Ottawa Winter Open

Rohan Talukdar
4th 2021 Americas World Cup (Preliminaries) Online Qualifier (2430)
=3rd 2021 Canadian Online Zonal Preliminary
=2nd 2020 Montreal Winter RR Inv. (2290)
2021 Online Olympiad Boys Bd1 - 3/4
2020 Online Olympiad Boys Bd1 - 1.5/4

[Fred McKim]

A very difficult time period to select a "best" player, however the committee has narrowed the field to three finalists: Evgeny Bareev, Maili-Jade Ouellet, and Mark Plotkin. We will be making the reveal sometime during the Canadian Open.

[Fred McKim]

Maili-Jade Ouellet received the 2020/21 Canadian Chess Player of the Year Award and was honoured at the Canadian Open in Hamilton

[Hans Jung]

Well deserved. Congratulations Maili-Jade!