80+ y.o. Canadian Chess Players Still Active!

[Bob Armstrong]

80+ Chess Project

Part II of 2 parts

Updates of this Post # 87 (24/7/25) : 24/7/26@ 2:40 AM EDT (All subsequent revisions will be made here until re-posted below)

c. Deceased Seniors

1. Zoltan Sarosy..............1912 [DoD: 22/6/17 @ 110 y.o.]
2. Milan Zagar..................?
3. Peter Avery....................?
4. Istvan Kiss..................1943 [DoD: 24/12/5] .Kitchener, ON..1611^...............1845^..............1847#

Research

1. CFC Players Database
2. FQE Players Database
3. FIDE Players Database
4. CFC Report Query (with parameters to get players who were born between 1925 and 1944 and have played since 2022-07-11. Remember not all players have their birth date on their CFC record.) Also, one can get the year of birth for each player, by repeating the query, but using XX and XX as the year parameters. For example if one uses 79 as XX (ie year of birth is 1944).

Comments

Should any of the above seniors classed as "inactive" appear at a CFC/FQE or FIDE rated tournament, please alert me and I will review their eligibility for our main "active" list.

This will be the post that will be continuously updated. So watch it for revisions - I'll note the revision date at the top.

Any additional information available re the charts to date?.......am missing some critical information.....if you know someone who may have information that can help, please bring this post to their attention.

Thanks.

Bob A (80+ in 2025)

[Bob Armstrong]

Chess Project re 80+ (Re-posted from above)

Part I of 2 Parts

This project is ongoing....it is a work in progress. The info is as of the last update!

Main researcher: Bob Armstrong; Additional help: Fred McKim, Erik Malmsten, Victor Plotkin, a number of individuals who posted in this thread & CFC.

Updates of this Post # 86 (24/7/25) : 24/7/26@ 2:40 AM EDT (All subsequent revisions will be made here until re-posted below)

Twenty-Five 80+ y.o. Canadian Chess Players Still Active in Regular Rated Tournaments!



^ = no Regular CFC-rated tournament; no regular FQE-rated tournament (since July 11, 2022 - The activity period started then)
* = unable to verify if have played in CFC/FQE-rated tournament since July 11, 2022 + FIDE Inactive/No FIDE
# = no FIDE-rated game since July 11, 2022

List # 1 - Active

...............................DoB (FIDE).....................City............. CFC Regular.......FQE Regular......... FIDE Standard

1. Eric Cloutier........1925 (99 y.o.!)....... Quebec City, QC....... 1759....................1686.....................1682

2. James Taylor..........1927...................North Vancouver, BC...1336.....................................................--

3.. L. Kim Wilson....... 1930.................... Creston, BC............... 1610 .......................--.......................1701

4. Mau-Seng Lee......1932......................West Vancouver, BC..1276.......................--...........................--

5. Maurice Smith..... 1934.................... Toronto, ON................ 1282......................1673^....................--

6. Thomas R Verny...1936....................Stratford, On................1670.........................--.....................1768#

7. M. Hassan Pishdad 1938................ Richmond Hill, ON........ 936..........................--.......................--

8. Husain Ali............. 1938................... Calgary, AB................. 1588.......................--...................... 1770

9. Josef Maxant....... 1939................................?....................... –- .......................1584................... 1799

10. Milan Somborac..1940..................Collingwood, ON............(896)................................................--

11. Francis Trueman 1941.................. Winnipeg, MB.............. 1330......................-........................ 1613

12. John I.F. Lukezich 1941...............Kingston, ON................1185 .......................--........................1701#

13. John MacLean.......1941.............Beaver Bank, NS............1155...................................................--

14. Vahagn Voskanyan 1944.......... Verdun, Montreal, QC..... 2241.......................2105................. 2173

15. Mohamed Khabatou..1944........Montreal, QC....................(924)........................853.....................--

16. John Wansleeben..1944...........Calgary, AB.......................1252..........................--.....................--

17. Sasha Starr..............?................Thornhill, ON...................2115........................2211^................1990

18. William Tate.............?................Victoria, BC.....................1670.....................................................--

19. Semo Adrovic...........?...............Kelowna, BC....................(1586)..................................................--

20. Gerald Coupal.........?..................QC..................................1294...................................................--

21. Mike Pejovic............?............Waterdown, Hamilton, ON...1272...................................................--

22. Larry Popa...............?............Hamilton, ON.......................1224..................................................--

23. Edward Enns..........?............Coquitlam, BC.......................1018.................................................--

24. Terry Thomas..........?...........Burlington, ON........................946.................................................--

25. James Sweet..........?............Sydney, BC...........................(645)................................................--

So far, Eric Cloutier of Quebec City, QC, at 99 y.o., is the oldest active Canadian chess player! And he just scored 5.5/9 pts. at the 2024 Canadian Open - U 2000 in Laval, Quebec! Keep truckin', Eric!

6/25 players have CFC Regular ratings 1600+! (2 are 2100+!)

List # 2 - Group in Waiting (80 y.o. in 2025)

1. Robert (Bob) J. Armstrong 1945....Toronto, ON...................1369........................1517..................1570

Let's add to this "waiting" group now!

List # 3 - Ineligible Seniors Checked Out

I have received many possible names to check out. Below are ones I've determined are ineligible, or, I could get no info on them:

a. Seniors Currently Ineligible

1. Jacob Jones...........1920.............Toronto, ON...................1621^.........................--........................--
2.. Cal Simpson...........1921.............St. Marys, ON...............1520^..........................--......................--
3. Steve Killi................1934...........London, ON....................1333^.........................--.......................--
4. Zvonko Vranesic.....1938............Toronto, ON....................2361^......................2460^...............2320#
5. Ruperto Frilles.........1941............Toronto, ON...................1845^..........................--..................1968#
6. Miro Hudecek..........1942...........London, ON..................(1706)^.........................--......................--
7.Ralph Deline ............1943.........Wellesley, ON..................1747^..........................--...................1849#
8. Gordon Ritchie.........1944.............Ottawa, ON...................1738^......................1910^..............1968#
9. Robert Davies..........1944.........Edmonton, AB..................1539^.........................--...................1717#
10. Peter Hollo..............?.................Mississauga,ON.............1837^.........................--....................--
11. William Oaker..........?................Toronto, ON...................1885^...........................--....................--
12. .Zdravko Barbarich...........?.......Richmond Hill, ON........1237^...........................--....................--
13. Keith Kearns..................?...................?................................--.............................--...................--
14. Ernest Westergard.........?...................?...............................--...................................................--
15 Ivan Theodorovich..........?...........Toronto, ON...................2041^................................................--
16. Nick Zimninski................?...........Toronto, ON...................1692^.................................................--.
17. Wolfgang Ferner..........?............Toronto, ON................... 2005^...............................................--
18. Vojin Vujosevic.............?............Toronto, ON...................2244^.................................................--
19. Tom Bozinoski.............?.............Burlington, ON..............1443^................................................--
20. Alex Danilov................?.............Ottawa, ON....................1674^.........................................1902#
21 Branimir Brebrich.........?.............Calgary, AB....................2230^............................................--
22. Ross Siemms.............?......................?...............................--..................................................--
23. Asad Zaidi..................?................Oakville, ON.................(682)^............................................--

b. Too Young Seniors & Others Named

1. Lawrence Day...........1949.........Toronto, ON................... 2198*.................2566^...............2214#
2. Andrzej (Andrew) Kaniak 1953..Maple, ON......................1553*.....................--....................--
3. Oswald Barmasch.....1953.........Thornhill, ON.................1370.......................--...................--
4. Ross Richardson..? [Hugh B says not 80 y.o.]Victoria, BC.1859*..................--...................1937#
5. Jordan S. Berson.........?.............Lewisporte, NL................2003.................1989^....................--
6. Mardig Tachijian.... 1999.......... ..Laval, QC...................... 1701...................1786.............. 1751

See Part II below.

Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Bob G / Hugh:

Mardig Tachijian

Thanks......I have now corrected my list.

Bob A

[Bob Gillanders]

Hi Hugh:

Mardig Tachijian

My Info: 1. Mardig Tachijian.... 1920 (104 y.o.!)... Montreal, QC............. 1701...................1786..................... 1751

If he was under 20 years old (FIDE Junior?) in 2017, then he certainly isn't 104 y.o.

I've noted "Laval" rather than "Montreal".

I'll check my research.

Thanks.

Bob

Born 1999. Correction sent to FIDE.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Hugh:

Mardig Tachijian

My FIDE research shows his birth year as 1920 (Making him 104 this year). You are challenging that this seems not correct, and he should not be on the eligible list.

FIDE Research

Profile info: Tachijian, Mardig

World Rank (Active): 86450

Federation: Canada

FIDE ID: 2652811

B-Year: 1920

Sex: Male

FIDE title: None

Rating: std 1751

rapid Not rated

blitz Not rated

Rated Tournament:

2023 Tournoi du Pere Noel A

Montreal

CAN

2023-12-27

FQE Search

Slow Rating: 1786

Most recent slow Tournament:

2023 Tournoi du Pere Noel A

Montreal

CAN

2023-12-27

Your Youth Tournament in his record:

Le Grand Prix jeunesse des Laurentides 2016-2017

0

1412

Blainville

Échiquier stratégique

Alexandre Ber

3

S

34

2017/05/10 2017/05/10

CFC Personal Rating Page: Doesn't help on this issue. But his CFC membership expired on 20/1/2 - so his activity is other than as a CFC player.

Issue: I guess there must be an error either in the FQE record, or, the birth year that FIDE has is wrong.

Analysis

I would want to say that I expect the FQE record to be the more correct, given he lives in Montreal.

But I'd love to get a bit more evidence to lock in this conclusion.

Do you have any further suggestions (Or anyone)?

Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Hugh:

Mardig Tachijian

My Info: 1. Mardig Tachijian.... 1920 (104 y.o.!)... Montreal, QC............. 1701...................1786..................... 1751

If he was under 20 years old (FIDE Junior?) in 2017, then he certainly isn't 104 y.o.

I've noted "Laval" rather than "Montreal".

I'll check my research.

Thanks.

Bob

[Hugh Brodie]

I had previously mentioned that Tachijian played in an FQE youth tournament in 2017. He lives in Laval.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Fred:

Fred: "79 as a parameter means the player turns 80 sometime in 2024, thus born in 1944"

Bob A: agreed; thanks.

Bob A

[Roger Patterson]

Hi Fred:

Thanks for the assistance.

As to birth year being public, it is done by FIDE. So it is that chess players sometimes agree to it being made public.

Secondly, no player on my lists has contacted me to object in terms of privacy.

But it is a question that is often raised in different contexts, so it is an issue.

I guess we'll see how the universe unfolds.......until there is a problem, though, I will continue the format of my chess project.


Any other comments on this?

Bob A

speaking personally, I have no idea how FIDE got my birth year. And I'm annoyed by them publishing it - just not enough to do anything about it.

[Fred McKim]

79 as a parameter means the player turns 80 sometime in 2024, thus born in 1944

[Bob Armstrong]

Fred:

Vahagn Voskanyan

My info: 12. Vahagn Voskanyan 1944.......... Verdun, Montreal, QC..... 2241.......................2105................. 2173
Your Info:

1

Voskanyan, Vahagn

Verdun, QC

2241

2315

2020-01-02 - using 79 y.o. in 2024 as your parameter, the birth year is 1945, not 1944 - this is my situation. Vahagn is 80 y.o. in 2024 (Birth Year: 1944 according to FIDE.) Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Fred:

Thanks for the assistance.

As to birth year being public, it is done by FIDE. So it is that chess players sometimes agree to it being made public.

Secondly, no player on my lists has contacted me to object in terms of privacy.

But it is a question that is often raised in different contexts, so it is an issue.

I guess we'll see how the universe unfolds.......until there is a problem, though, I will continue the format of my chess project.


Any other comments on this?

Bob A

[Fred McKim]

Using the CFC Report Query, I get the following players who were born between 1925 and 1944 and have played since 2022-07-11. Remember not all players have their birthdate on their CFC record.

1	Voskanyan, Vahagn	Verdun, QC	2241	2315	2020-01-02
2	Tate, William	Victoria, BC	1670	2002	2024-04-06
2	Verny, Thomas R.	Stratford, ON	1670	1822	2025-04-26
4	Kiss, Istvan	Kitchener, ON	1611	2083	2025-05-19
5	Ali, Husain	Calgary, AB	1588	1932	2024-10-22
6	Adrovic, Semo	Kelowna, BC	(1586)	(15 g)	2024-06-17
7	Taylor, James	North Vancouver, BC	1336	1800	LIFE
8	Coupal, Gerald	QC	1294	1368	2020-01-02
9	Pejovic, Mike	Waterdown, ON	1272	1923	LIFE
10	Wansleeben, John	Calgary, AB	1252	1261	2024-03-07
11	Smith, Maurice	Scarborough, ON	1240	1967	2025-06-24
12	Popa, Larry	Hamilton, ON	1224	1719	2025-01-12
13	Lukezich, John I.F.	Kingston, ON	1185	1583	LIFE
14	MacLean, John	Beaver Bank, NS	1155	1499	LIFE
15	Enns, Edward	Coquitlam, BC	1018	1472	2023-07-31
16	Thomas, Terry	Burlington, ON	946	1129	2025-05-28
17	Khabatou, Mohamed	Montreal, QC	(924)	(12 g)	–
18	Pishdad, M. Hassan	Richmond Hill, ON	919	1442	LIFE
19	Somborac, Milan	Collingwood, ON	(896)	(13 g)	2023-05-08
20	Zaidi, Asad	Oakville, ON	(682)	(2 g)	2021-04-01
21	Sweet, James	Sidney, BC	(645)	(22 g)	2024-11-10

Now with a little work you can get the year of birth for each player, by repeating the query, but using XX and XX as the year parameters. For example if I use 79 as XX (ie year of birth is 1944), I get the following list

1	Voskanyan, Vahagn	Verdun, QC	2241	2315	2020-01-02
2	Wansleeben, John	Calgary, AB	1252	1261	2024-03-07
3	Khabatou, Mohamed	Montreal, QC	(924)	(12 g)	–

So the above 3 players all have a birth year of 1944

Now the question is Bob, do any of these players want their birth years posted in a public forum ?

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Don:

Thanks....never used "Reports" before......what I was looking for.

Bob A

[Don Parakin]

Where do I find this screen under the CFC subject headings? It says in the URL, "ratings/p/top" ??

On the main page for ratings, https://www.chess.ca/en/ratings/ ... near the bottom in the "Reports" section, click on "Top Rated". Is that what you were looking for?