2023 Canadian Chess Player of the Year

[Fred McKim]

It is time to select the Canadian Chess Player of the Year for 2023. The independent Canadian Chess Player of the Year Committee (Larry Bevand, Ian Findlay, Hans Jung, John Upper, and Chair, Fred McKim) has short listed the following 7 players and will conduct its vote after giving Chess Talk readers a week to chime in on their own thoughts and picks.

I have highlighted what I felt were the 3 most significant results for each nominee, although for some, they had many more significant accomplishments.

Fred


In alphabetical order:


WIM Svetlana Demchenko
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Canadian Women's Closed Champion
=7th Women's Continental Championship
=3rd Canadian Junior Championship

IM Johnathan Han
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1st North American Youth Under 18
1st Ontario Open
Canadian Junior Champion

IM Nikolay Noritsyn
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Canadian Closed Champion (Tie Break)
1st Hart House Reading Week Open
1st Excelsior January, May & June Opens

WGM Maili-Jade Ouellet
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Advanced to Round 2 of Women's World Cup (AZE)
=5th Francophonie Championship (CIV)
=7th Lone Star State Open (USA)

GM Razvan Preotu
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=1st Charlotte Open (USA)
1st Ontario Closed
=1st Excelsior September & October Opens

GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux
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=1st Canadian Closed
=1st NY Winter Inv RR (USA)
=1st Francophonie Championship (CIV)

GM Bator Sambuev
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=1st Canadian Closed
=1st Quebec Open
=1st Francophonie Championship (CIV)

[Olga Mushtaler]

I vote for GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux. A Grandmaster at 19 years old, that's an incredible achievement! All through hard work and dedication! Bravo!

[Fred McKim]

I believe Shawn's fine performance at the 2023 Grand Swiss secured his GM title, and is certainly a noteworthy performance !

[Salim Belcadi]

I would also add that Shawn finished 2nd at the very strong 2023 Canadian Transnational Classic, where he secured his second GM norm with one round to spare. Nikolay also secured his second GM norm at that event, finishing 4th.

[Fred McKim]

I would also add that Shawn finished 2nd at the very strong 2023 Canadian Transnational Classic, where he secured his second GM norm with one round to spare. Nikolay also secured his second GM norm at that event, finishing 4th.

Yes ... just a taste of a player's 2023 profile for some of those listed here. All comments are welcome.

[Fred McKim]

Voting is currently underway for the Canadian Chess Player of the Year. The Committee presently consists of Larry Bevand, Ian Findlay, Hans Jung, Fred McKim, and John Upper. The three finalists will be revealed here in a few days.

[Fred McKim]

Here are the three finalists for the 2023 Canadian Chess Player of the Year, as per the voting of the Player of the Year Committee. The winner will be revealed on Chess Talk in a week's time. Feel free in the mean time to comment, here, with your pick !!

Fred
Chair, Canadian Player of the Year Committee

IM Nikolay Noritsyn
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Canadian Closed Champion (Tie Break)
=4th Canadian Transnational Classic (2nd GM Norm)
1st Hart House Reading Week Open
1st Excelsior January, May & June Open
=1st Hart House Holidays Open
=1st Excelsior March, April & October Open
=2nd Excelsior February Open
=2nd Excelsior March GM Norm Tnmt
=5th Excelsior June GM Norm Tnmt
2nd Excelsior June IM Norm Tnmt


GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux
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=1st Canadian Closed
3rd GM Norm at FIDE Grand Swiss (IOM)
=1st NY Winter Inv RR (USA)
=2nd Canadian Transnational Classic (2nd GM Norm)
=1st Francophonie Championship (CIV)
=2nd Excelsior June GM Norm Tnmt
=3rd Quebec Open
=6th World Junior Championship
1st Quebec Carnival Open
1st RA March Open

GM Bator Sambuev
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=1st Canadian Closed
=1st Quebec Open
=1st Francophonie Championship (CIV)
1st Ottawa Fall Open
1st Excelsior February & November Open
1st Eastern Ontario Open
=1st Capablanca Memorial OPEN (CUB)
=1st Toronto Open
=2nd Excelsior March & June GM Norm Tnmt
=4th Ontario Open

[Hans Jung]

All very deserving and I will speak for myself when I say it was very hard to choose the order.

[Fred McKim]

I am going to apologize for the delay in releasing the results, but there have been some logistic issues, that I think we have resolved, and hopefully we can finish this off later this week.

[Fred McKim]

Congratulations to GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux who is Canada's Chess Player of the Year for 2023, the second year in a row he has taken the award, as voted on by the Chess Player of the Year Committee (Bevand, Findlay, Jung, McKim, and Upper).

While last year's vote was unanimous (50 points), it was a nail biter this time around, with Shawn receiving 3 first place votes and the runner-up receiving 2 first place votes.

1. GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux - 42
2. IM Nikolay Noritsyn - 39
3. GM Bator Sambuev - 29
4. IM Jonathan Han - 9
5. GM Razvan Preotu - 7
6. WGM - Maili-Jade Ouellet - 4.

Fred

[Hans Jung]

Yes congratulations to GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux who has become a large presence in Canadian chess and we are so lucky to have him. In addition he is very personable, humble, well spoken and conducts himself as a true gentleman.

[Victor Plotkin]

His 3rd GM norm at Grand Swiss was a very impressive result, as all his opponents were 2600+ players. Congratulations!