Hi, I’m Jeffrey Xu. I’m a National Master of Canada (since 2018) and a dental student. My ratings are ~2120 FIDE, ~2280 Canadian, ~2250 Australian, and ~2500 on chess.com.

My passion for chess started when I was six. Like many kids, I enrolled in chess lessons to beat my grandpa, but then I got a little carried away. Everyone says I spend too much time on the game, and they’re 100% right. I’ve met a lot of good people, made many friends, and at the end of the day, chess is a very fun game.

I’m not someone who believes that chess is a serious sport. You need muscle for that claim (if I ever give you gym advice, do the opposite). Instead, chess is something you’re meant to enjoy with the community while hopefully developing your logic and calculation skills.

Chess has also let me see a lot. I’ve traveled to many countries for international tournaments. I’ve played some pretty well-known opponents: Hikaru Nakamura, GothamChess, BotezLive, and more. I’ve also been acquainted with the infamous Hans Niemann - Magnus Carlsen’s #1 enemy nowadays. I know him as the kid who randomly challenged my friend and me to a ping-pong match at the 2015 World Youths in Greece. We stayed in touch afterwards. It’s already been 11 years, but those are unforgettable memories I made through chess.

What I’m up to now

As I get older, weaker, and mentally slower, I’ve transitioned from competitions to teaching. I’ve coached a few hundred students over the past 10 years.

I’m currently studying dentistry at the University of Sydney, Australia. On the side, I’m contracted to teach chess at numerous schools across Sydney’s West and Inner West. When I wait in the afterschool assembly area for the students to gather, I often find that the chess kids ends up being the largest group. It wasn’t always like that. The support I’ve received from parents, staff, kids, and competitive players has been awesome. I’m proud to be a member of the Toronto and Sydney chess communities.

It’s more than just a game; it’s our DNA.

If you’re a parent whose child loves chess, contact me for chess classes at jeffreyxu2345@gmail.com. I’m also qualified to tutor essay writing and biology for elementary and high school students (I took AP Lang, AP Lit, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and have gone through the American Common App process myself).

I created this website to serve as a professional portfolio to promote myself to schools. I’d like to thank friends who helped me set up the tech stuff (I’m tech illiterate) while leaving the writing and photo selection up to me.

2014 Canadian Chess Challenge in Manitoba. I’m back row, far left. I was part of the winning Team Ontario, can you recognize who my teammate on the right is? (hint: famous fish).

Enjoying Australia.